U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) plans by end of fiscal year 2026 to receive 11 more L3Harris OA-1K Skyraider II combat crop dusters known for their golden price. Thus total fleet of these aircraft will already comprise 31 units.
USSOCOM representatives told this in comment to Janes. According to them, light attack aircraft will enter service of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Currently 20 aircraft are already in arsenal.
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Currently American military says Skyraider II is needed for ground unit fire support, while architectural solutions developed within program will enable keeping platform relevant. However in USSOCOM budget request for 2027, planned order was cut from 62 to 53 aircraft. Eleven units arriving this year were ordered in previous years, so reduction did not affect them.
Defense Express notes such words and actions make sense, as funds are already spent and equipment received, and writing it off immediately means simply losing time and resources. Therefore quite likely all possible benefit will be extracted from OA-1K, as specialized platform in conditions when drones cannot be used, means for testing or personnel training and so on.
Recall aircraft based on ordinary agricultural aircraft was supposed to cost U.S. $40 million per unit if initial plans for 75 aircraft at $3 billion were implemented. Therefore understandable that ultimately due to insufficient justification, orders are being reduced.
Skyraider II can operate from dirt airfields, remain airborne for 6 hours with 370 km combat radius and carry 2.7 tons payload. Weapons include AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and AGR-20 APKWS rockets, GBU-12 Paveway II bombs or 20mm gun.
Such counterinsurgency aircraft possibly had good capabilities for its class, but with air defense asset development and proliferation, question arose regarding its advisability and survivability. Specifically militants and terrorists now can more easily obtain same MANPADS.
At same time, with unmanned technology development, question arises whether same tasks cannot be performed by UAVs like same MQ-9 Reaper. However since aircraft are already purchased, application for them will be sought.
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