L3Harris has successfully expanded production of its OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft and opened a new manufacturing facility at its site in Waco, Texas. According to the company's official statement, the modernized production line will begin delivering planes this fall.
However, this expansion stands in sharp contrast with the current order book for the aircraft. In the FY2026 budget, only six OA-1K Skyraider IIs are planned for procurement for U.S. Special Operations Forces — half the number originally expected.
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Even within the Special Ops, this aircraft's place in the lineup remains a matter of debate. The Skyraider II is designed for low-intensity conflicts and counterinsurgency roles. For the U.S. and globally, this mission profile was more relevant prior to 2022. The Armed Overwatch program, which gave birth to the OA-1K Skyraider II, was launched in 2020.
The OA-1K Skyraider II is based on the Air Tractor AT-802 agricultural aircraft. In its combat variant, the aircraft is fitted with armor and precision strike capabilities, carrying up to 2.7 tons of weapons. It can loiter for up to six hours with a combat radius of 370 km. Another natural advantage of such platforms is their ability to operate from unpaved runways.
It is far from certain that all of the originally planned 75 aircraft, worth around $3 billion, will actually be ordered. Thus, L3Harris' production expansion may be a result of inertia — or confidence that the Skyraider II will ultimately secure more orders.
Who those additional customers might be is harder to predict. The unit cost of around $40 million for the U.S. Special Operations Command makes widespread export success unlikely.
By contrast, Brazil's Embraer dominates the niche with its Super Tucano, offering second-hand units for $16–18 million, supported by favorable credit terms, as in Uruguay, or fast deliveries of NATO-standard versions, as in Portugal — the first European operator.
Furthermore, many of the OA-1K Skyraider II's intended counterinsurgency support roles could be performed by drones. Even the advantage of operating from rough fields is now accessible to UAVs, such as General Atomics Mojave, a strike drone that mirrors the capabilities of light attack aircraft, including the ability to mount a Minigun.
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