Earlier this week, U.S. defense firm L3Harris and Israeli aerospace giant IAI signed an agreement under which Israel will produce a modified version of the U.S. light-attack aircraft Sky Warden, to be known in Israeli service as the Blue Sky Warden.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding; the cost and the number of Sky Warden aircraft Israel plans to acquire remain undisclosed.
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Details in the companies press release indicate this will be a specialized and apparently significantly modified version of the American Sky Warden tailored to IDF requirements.
The Israeli variant will be equipped with IAI-supplied specialized software, hardware and control systems, including an open-architecture mission computer.
Although the Sky Warden light attack aircraft is primarily intended for reconnaissance, target designation and strike missions, it is possible that the Israeli modification could be adapted or even optimized for a counter-drone role especially since it can carry precision APKWS rockets.
Recall that the AT-802U Sky Warden was developed under the Armed Overwatch program, when U.S. Special Operations Command funded the creation of low-cost attack aircraft.
Solution chosen was based on the agricultural Air Tractor AT-802. Initially a purchase of 75 aircraft was planned, but that number was later reduced after the U.S. Government Accountability Office required justification for such a large buy for U.S. Special Operations Forces.
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