AFSOC leaders broke the news today at the Special Air Warfare Symposium. The name pays tribute to the battle-tested legacy of the A-1 Skyraider, a tough and adaptable warbird that served from 1946 through the early 1980s.
AFSOC’s newest airframe, the OA-1K, has been officially named the Skyraider II. The announcement came on Feb. 27, 2025, during the Special Air Warfare Symposium. The name revives the legacy of the rugged and versatile A-1 Skyraider, which served from 1946 through the early 1980s.
“I’m excited about the Skyraider II. I think we have a capability that’s uniquely ours, and we’re going to shape it into something the rest of the nation might not even realize they need yet,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, Air Force Special Operations commander.
Designed as a cost-effective, crewed aircraft, the Skyraider II is built for adaptability across the full spectrum of conflict. It will provide close air support, precision strike, and armed ISR for special operations forces and the Joint Force.
“AFSOC has enduring global missions,” said Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, AFSOC’s Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements. “While we don’t expect the Skyraider II to go toe-to-toe with 5th and 6th generation fighters, it will bring value to our supported forces worldwide.”
Agile, modular, and built for tough environments, the Skyraider II’s most distinctive feature—like its namesake—is its tailwheel. This design enables short takeoffs and landings, allowing it to operate from austere, unimproved airstrips.
“Providing scalable and precision effects is where the Skyraider II will shine,” Prather added. “It could take on missions from the southwest border to Africa, creating dilemmas for our competitors.”
The original Skyraider earned its reputation in Korea and Vietnam, bringing firepower and endurance to Air Commando operations. Its legendary toughness was on full display when Maj. Bernard Fisher earned the first Medal of Honor for an Airman in the Southeast Asia War flying an A-1E. In 1968, Lt. Col. William A. Jones III also received the Medal of Honor for his actions in an A-1H.
The OA-1K, a variant of the AT-802U, was the winner of Special Operations Command’s Armed Overwatch contract in 2022. The airplane beat out the Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine, Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, and PZL’s M28B 1R Bryza. The purpose of the contract was to outfit AFSOC with a small airframe for Close Air Support (CAS), strike, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The aircraft are built in Olney, Texas, and outfitted for the armed overwatch mission in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Armed Overwatch
On August 1, 2022, U.S. Special Operations Command announced the AT-802U Sky Warden as the winner of the Armed Overwatch program. Built on the battle-proven Air Tractor AT-802U platform, L3Harris says its STOL capability and minimal support footprint will allow aircrews to operate alongside the dispersed ground units they support.
This fleet of multi-mission aircraft is designed to meet SOCOM’s need for a deployable, sustainable, and affordable single-engine, crewed platform. The Sky Warden will provide Close Air Support (CAS), precision strike, armed Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), strike coordination, and Forward Air Controller (FAC) capabilities, all suited for operations in austere and permissive environments. It will also play a key role in irregular warfare missions.
“Armed Overwatch answers a critical need for U.S. Special Operations Command to conduct a wide range of operations globally in support of the National Defense Strategy,” then-SOCOM Commander Gen. Richard Clarke said in a 2022 statement. “This rugged, sustainable platform will operate in permissive environments and austere conditions around the world to safeguard our special operations forces on the ground.”
In 2021, Gen. Clarke told lawmakers he envisioned a total of four operational squadrons of 15 Armed Overwatch aircraft, with one deployed at any given time while the others train, recover, and undergo maintenance. A fifth squadron would be dedicated solely to training.
The AT-802U is already in service with multiple countries, including Croatia, Egypt, and Jordan. However, the U.S. will be the only operator of the OA-1K variant for now. The Air Force initially planned to acquire 75 aircraft but has since scaled back those plans to 62 aircraft. In 2022, Air Tractor and L3Harris secured a $3 billion contract for the fleet.
According to Air Tractor, the AT-802U is equipped with eight wing-mounted hardpoints capable of carrying 500-pound (227 kg) munitions, plus two centerline stations for 1,000-pound (454 kg) weapons, giving it a total payload capacity of 8,000 pounds (3,629 kg). The inner hardpoints are optimized for externally-mounted guns, with calibers ranging from .50 caliber to 20 mm. The aircraft features a two-person cockpit, armored engine and fuel tanks, self-sealing fuel cells, and a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F engine.
A key advantage of the Skyraider II is its low operating cost. Air Tractor reports that its cost per flying hour is in the hundreds of dollars—far lower than the thousands or even tens of thousands per hour for existing U.S. Air Force aircraft performing similar missions. Beyond its military role, the AT-802 has an extensive track record in crop dusting, aerial firefighting, and drug interdiction.
The OA-1K will supplement the U-28A Draco, a single-engine counter-insurgency (COIN) and ISR platform based on the Pilatus PC-12. The U.S. Air Force currently operates the Draco under two Wings: the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB, New Mexico. While the Skyraider II is set to take over many of its roles, the U-28A will continue operating in a limited capacity.
The first Skyraider II is expected to arrive at Hurlburt Field in Spring 2025.
