A up-close look at L3Harris Sky Warden variant of the famed AT-802 Air Tractor that is serving as the test aircraft for Air Force Special Operation Commands OA-1K Skyraider II program.
The War Zone met up with L3Harris at this years Special Operations Forces Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
The Air Tractor L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider II (company name AT-802U Sky Warden) is an American fixed-wing, single-engine light attack/armed reconnaissance aircraft built by Air Tractor and L3Harris for the Armed Overwatch program of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).
It was developed from the Air Tractor AT-802, an American aircraft that is used for agriculture and fire-firefighting and has been militarized in other programs.The AT-802U Sky Warden won the Armed Overwatch trial, and on 1 August 2022, SOCOM announced a US$3 billion contract to purchase 75 aircraft by 2029.Design and DevelopmentThe AT-802U Sky Warden was developed from the Air Tractor AT-802, for the Special Operations Commands Armed Overwatch trial.
A version of the AT-802 has been used for years eradicating coca leaf crops (used in the production of illicit drugs) and as a result was already outfitted with lightweight composite ballistic armored engine compartment and cockpit, called a bathtub.
The windshield features flat ballistic glass panels.
The cockpit is built of a steel tube frame design to act as a roll cage, and can support the entire weight of the aircraft.The aircraft is not designed to fit ejection seats.
The fuel lines and fuel tank are self-sealing and feature emergency fuel jettison.
Restraints include a 5-point harness equipped with airbags.
Essential flight controls are present in both the front and rear seats.
The landing gear configuration differs from most modern aircraft in that it is a tail-wheel configuration, which is optimal for take-off and landing on austere and unimproved airstrips.The AT-802U is designed for expedient deployment and can be disassembled within a day to fit inside a single C-17 cargo aircraft.
It can then be reassembled to mission-ready status within a single day.A U.S.
Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II is parked on the flightline at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jan.
28, 2025.
Air Force Special Operations Command Leadership announced the name for the OA-1K during the Special Air Warfare Symposium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Feb.
27, 2025.
The moniker renews the versatile nature of the A-1 Skyraider, which operated from 1946 through the early 1980s.
(U.S.
Air Force photo by Staff Sgt.
Natalie Fiorilli)On 1 August 2022, Air Tractor and L3Harris were awarded a US$3 billion contract for 75 aircraft.
The contract included an upfront payment of US$170 million, with the rest being paid out as the fleet is delivered.
The aircraft is built in two stages; the airframe is built by Air Tractor in Olney, Texas, and the armor and weapons systems are added by L3Harris in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It is to replace the U-28A Draco, often used for anti-insurgency operations.The AT-802U was officially designated the OA-1K in late 2022.
The designation implies the aircraft is a version of the unrelated and long retired A-1 Skyraider, another tail dragger attack aircraft which was used by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) in the past.
However this makes the designation non-systematic.
On 27 February 2025, Air Force Special Operations Command officials announced the aircraft will be called Skyraider II in U.S.
Air Force service, after the Cold War-era A-1 Skyraider.On 15 December 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report urging the Department of Defense to slow down the program until SOCOM makes a better justification for so many planes.
GAO suggested SOCOM needs a substantially smaller fleet of Sky Wardens, but did not recommend a number itself.
In September 2024 it was revealed that in the previous March the order had been reduced from 75 to 62 aircraft.Top Photo: A U.S.
Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II is parked on the flightline at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jan.
28, 2025.
Air Force Special Operations Command Leadership announced the name for the OA-1K during the Special Air Warfare Symposium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Feb.
27, 2025Sources: YouTube; Wikipedia