Gulfstream Aerospace has announced that the Polish Ministry of National Defense has signed an agreement to purchase two Gulfstream G550 aircraft. The aircraft will be configured for VIP transport and will be delivered in 2017.

The purchase follows the loss of the Polish Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 near Smolesnk, Russia, in 2010 - an accident that killed all 96 people on board, including Polish president Lech Kaczynski. Two Tu-154s were used for government transport at the time. In the intervening period, two Embraer 170s have been used for VIP missions.

The G550, which can accommodate up to 18 passengers, is widely used for special missions and government applications. With eight passengers, the G550 can fly nonstop from Warsaw to Los Angeles or Tokyo. The company delivered its 500th G550 in May.

Gulfstream has produced special mission aircraft since 1967, beginning with a GI used by the U.S. Navy for navigator training. Today, aircraft are configured for head-of-state and VIP transport, airborne early warning, medical evacuation, high-altitude atmospheric research, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.