The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has selected L3Harris Technologies and Air Tractor as suppliers of the AT-802U Sky Warden aircraft for its Armed Overwatch program. The initial contract for the program is $170 million.
The AT-802U Sky Warden will meet USSOCOM's need for reliable, rugged, low cost aircraft systems. Single-engine turboprop aircraft will provide close air support for ground forces, pinpoint strikes, armed reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance, and coordination of strikes in various conditions. The aircraft will be used in irregular combat operations.
L3Harris plans to rapidly modify the Armed Overwatch demonstrator prototype released last summer to production configuration and deliver the weapon systems to the customer in about six months.
The first six aircraft of the program will be produced at the Air Tractor aircraft manufacturing plant in Olney, Texas. Then they will be fully prepared in accordance with USSOCOM requirements at the L3Harris facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Serial production should begin in 2023.
The Armed Overwatch program provides for the purchase of light aircraft that can take off and land from more inhospitable airfields than those required by modern US Air Force and Navy combat aircraft. Such aircraft should be relatively cheap to operate and be able to carry different payloads depending on the mission.
The AT-802U Sky Warden is a strike and reconnaissance modification of the AT-802U two-seat attack aircraft, which, in turn, is based on the agricultural model of the AT-802 series from Air Tractor.
Sources: L3harris, Militaryleak
