Aircraft & UAVs

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit

Also known as
  • Nachshon Shavit
  • Shavit
  • Gulfstream V Nachshon Shavit
  • Gulfstream G-V Nachshon Shavit
  • Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Shavit
  • G500 SEMA
  • Gulfstream G500 SEMA
  • Special Electronic Missions Aircraft
  • SEMA
  • IAF Shavit

The Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit is Israel's Gulfstream V/G500-based special electronic missions aircraft, converted for Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron with IAI mission systems for signals intelligence, electronic reconnaissance, and long-range ISR support. Public sources sometimes group the Nachshon fleet under G550 wording, but Shavit-specific imagery and specialist references identify the aircraft as the earlier Gulfstream V/G500 SIGINT member alongside the G550 Eitam and Oron aircraft.

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit, Signals-intelligence and electronic-reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Commons Shavit 154

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States airframe / Israeli mission-system conversion
Type
Signals-intelligence and electronic-reconnaissance aircraft
Service note
Israeli service from the mid-2000s; documented in 2006 Lebanon War, Iron Swords, and Operation Rising Lion intelligence-support roles.
Designer
Israel Aerospace Industries / ELTA mission-system conversion on a Gulfstream V/G500 airframe
Designed
Ordered in November 2001 for Israel's airborne SIGINT requirement, according to specialist Gulfstream fleet records.
Produced
Green airframes were delivered for Israeli mission-system fit-out in 2005 and 2006; public sources describe Shavit service from 2005.
Number built
Three Shavit SIGINT aircraft are publicly reported in Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron service.

Specifications

Airframe
Gulfstream V/G500 business jet adapted as a special electronic missions aircraft
Mission class
SEMA / SIGINT aircraft for airborne electronic reconnaissance and intelligence collection
Mission systems
IAI-fitted airborne integrated SIGINT system; public descriptions also identify ground-scanning radar with GMTI and SAR imaging capability
Operator
Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron (Nachshon), based at Nevatim
Fleet size
Three Shavit aircraft publicly reported in 122 Squadron service
Reported registrations
676, 679, and 684 are identified in specialist Gulfstream fleet records
Service entry
Public sources describe Shavit service from 2005, with the first delivered aircraft active by the 2006 Lebanon War
Related Nachshon roles
Shavit covers SIGINT; Eitam covers airborne early warning and control; Oron combines multi-domain ISR and targeting-support functions
Mission Architecture

Shavit is a sensor and intelligence aircraft, not a strike platform. Public descriptions emphasize electronic intelligence, signal interception, ground-scanning radar functions, and the 122 Squadron mission of collecting, processing, and directing intelligence for Israeli operations.

Airframe

Gulfstream V/G500 business jet airframe adapted for Israeli special electronic missions.

Mission focus

Signals intelligence, electronic reconnaissance, ground-moving-target indication, synthetic-aperture radar imaging, and long-range ISR support.

Unit

Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron, the Nachshon squadron based at Nevatim.

Variants

The Nachshon fleet uses Gulfstream business-jet airframes for distinct Israeli intelligence, surveillance, and air-control missions.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Eitam, Airborne early warning and control aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon EitamAirborne early warning and control aircraft

Eitam is the G550 airborne early-warning and control member of the same Nachshon special-mission fleet.

Sources: TWZ Oron Background, IAI Oron Background

Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron, Multi-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon OronMulti-mission ISTAR aircraft

Oron is the newer multi-mission G550 aircraft that combines wide-area surveillance, SIGINT, and targeting-support functions in the Nachshon fleet.

Sources: TWZ Oron Background, IAI Oron Background

Timeline

Gulfstream G500 Nachshon Shavit Key Events

  1. Shavit order reported

    Specialist Gulfstream fleet records say the Gulfstream V Nachshon Shavit was officially ordered in November 2001 for Israel's airborne SIGINT role.

    Sources: GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  2. Shavit enters service

    TWZ describes the Shavit SIGINT aircraft as entering Israeli Air Force service in 2005, while Gulfstream fleet records report the first green airframe delivery in June 2005.

    Sources: TWZ Oron Background, GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  3. First wartime use reported

    Specialist Gulfstream fleet records state that the first Shavit aircraft was active with the Israeli Air Force during the July-August 2006 Lebanon War soon after initial operational capability.

    Sources: GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream Fleet

  4. Operation Rising Lion use reported

    EDR reported that Eitam, Shavit, and Oron aircraft from Nachshon Squadron supported Operation Rising Lion with strategic intelligence collection and advanced command and control.

    Sources: EDR Operation Rising Lion

  5. Israel Defense Prize announced

    IAI announced that Shavit, Eitam, and Oron received the Israel Defense Prize for their special-mission-aircraft contribution, including high-availability wartime operations during Iron Swords.

    Sources: IAI Defense Prize

Related Weapon Systems
IAI Heron UAV, Medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI Heron UAVMedium-altitude long-endurance UAVThe IAI Heron is an Israeli medium-altitude long-endurance UAV family built for persistent ISR, target acquisition, maritime patrol, and multi-sensor surveillance missions. IAI describes Heron 1, known in Israeli service as Shoval, and Heron Mk II as SATCOM-capable MALE platforms with automatic taxi, takeoff, and landing, while conflict sourcing ties the family to Israeli operations in Gaza and Iran, Azerbaijani reconnaissance and targeting in Nagorno-Karabakh, and Indian Heron Mk II operations during Operation Sindoor.
Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Eitam, Airborne early warning and control aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon EitamAirborne early warning and control aircraftThe Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Eitam is Israel's conformal airborne early warning and control version of the G550 business jet, modified by Israel Aerospace Industries and ELTA with the EL/W-2085 AESA radar and mission systems. Operated by Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron, it provides airborne surveillance, battle management, and command-and-control support for air defense and long-range strike operations, including documented use during Iron Swords and the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict.
Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron, Multi-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsGulfstream G550 Nachshon OronMulti-mission intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance aircraftThe Gulfstream G550 Nachshon Oron is an Israeli special-mission aircraft that adapts a U.S.-built Gulfstream G550 business jet with IAI/ELTA radar, electro-optical, SIGINT, C4I, and AI-assisted processing systems. Operated by Israeli Air Force 122 Squadron, it is documented in wartime intelligence, surveillance, early-warning, and targeting-support roles over Gaza and during Israel's 2025 operations against Iran.
IAI Heron TP, Strategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI Heron TPStrategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAVThe IAI Heron TP is the large strategic member of Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron UAV family, known in Israeli Air Force service as Eitan. It is built for long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, and multi-payload missions, with official specifications listing a 5,670 kg maximum takeoff weight, more than 30 hours endurance, beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM operation, and payload capacity far above the smaller Heron 1. Conflict sourcing ties the type to Israeli Iron Swords surveillance sorties and Operation Rising Lion missions over Iran.
Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft, Medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsHermes 900 unmanned aircraftMedium-altitude long-endurance UAVElbit's Hermes 900 Kochav is an Israeli medium-altitude long-endurance UAV family with 36-hour endurance, a 350 kg baseline payload, and modular ISR, electronic-intelligence, communications-relay, maritime-patrol, and wide-area surveillance payload options. First flown in 2009, it entered Israeli combat use during the 2014 Gaza War and has since appeared in Azerbaijani and Israeli conflict documentation, while the StarLiner branch adds civil-airspace certification and heavier payload capacity for non-segregated airspace missions.

Sources

IAI Defense PrizePublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports Shavit, Eitam, and Oron as IAI-developed special-mission aircraft; C4ISR mission context; and direct 2023 Israel-Hamas War use during Iron Swords with high availability and extensive operational hours. | Accessed: 2026-07-03IAI Oron BackgroundPublisher: Israel Aerospace Industries | Note: Supports Nachshon family relationships: Shavit as SIGINT, Eitam as real-time aerial situational awareness and airborne air-control capability, and Oron as the newer multi-mission aircraft combining earlier capabilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-03EDR Operation Rising LionPublisher: EDR Magazine | Note: Supports 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict direct use: Nachshon Squadron's Eitam, Shavit, and Oron intelligence aircraft were used during Operation Rising Lion to collect strategic intelligence and provide advanced command and control. | Accessed: 2026-07-03GulfBiz IAF Gulfstream FleetPublisher: GulfBiz | Note: Supports Shavit identity as a Gulfstream V SIGINT aircraft, reported November 2001 order, three green airframe deliveries in 2005-2006, aircraft registrations, IAI fit-out, Nevatim/122 Squadron context, mission description, and direct 2006 Lebanon War use. | Accessed: 2026-07-03TWZ Oron BackgroundPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports Nachshon fleet context, Shavit as the SIGINT member of 122 Squadron, service from 2005, three Shavit aircraft, Gulfstream 500/550 airframe wording, and public description of Shavit ground-scanning radar with GMTI/SAR capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Airforce Technology Nachshon SquadronPublisher: Airforce Technology | Note: Supports 122 Squadron operating the Eitam AEW aircraft and Shavit ELINT aircraft, both modified from Gulfstream business jets, and squadron launch/service context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons Shavit 154Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a CC BY-SA 3.0 photograph of an Israeli Air Force Gulfstream G500 Nachshon-Shavit aircraft at an IAF cadet graduation ceremony. | Accessed: 2026-07-03