Two Gulfstream G550 business jets modified for surveillance and electronic warfare will be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under a U.S. foreign military sale the Pentagon announced in late December. Further details on the new capability will be released in a defense white paper later this year, the Australian Department of Defence (DOD) said.

The Pentagon on December 28 announced a $93.6 million contract task order to L-3 Communications’ mission integration division in Greenville, Texas, for “Australia Government G550 aircraft procurement and maintenance.” The order is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2017. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) 645th Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, also known as the Big Safari special-purpose weapons organization, is the contract authority.

L-3 referred an inquiry to the USAF. The service did not immediately answer a request for further information on the contract award.

In an emailed statement, the Australian DOD said it will procure two G550s, which will be modified “to provide an airborne intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (ISREW) capability” to support Australian Defense Force operations. “Further details on the capability will be provided in the Integrated Investment Program due for release this year with the Defense White Paper,” the department added.

The RAAF operates a fleet of aging Lockheed AP-3C Orion four-engine turboprops, some of which are thought to have electronic intelligence capability the new G550s would replace. The Orions will eventually be succeeded in their main role of providing maritime surveillance by eight Boeing P-8A Poseidons, which begin arriving in Australia in 2017, and up to seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C unmanned aircraft.

“The acquisition was undertaken through Foreign Military Sales because the ISREW program and its interoperability with other defense capabilities is available only through the USAF,” Australia’s DOD said.