In late November, Sierra Nevada Corporation, a leading defense contractor and electronics and engineering corporation, announced the first flight of the company’s Sierra Nevada RAPCON-X. This aircraft is a converted Bombardier Global 6500 with significant modifications. Specifically, this aircraft includes several upgraded technologies that make the aircraft a proper aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (A-ISR) platform. The Sierra Nevada RAPCON-X was recently selected by the United States Army for the Theater Level High Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR (ATHENA) project. Additionally, the Sierra Nevada RAPCON-X platform was also chosen by the Finnish Border Guard for its MX program, although the aircraft used for this program is a Bombardier Challenger 650.