U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has selected the AT-802U Sky Warden system from L3Harris Technologies and Air Tractor Inc. for its Armed Overwatch program.
The Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery contract award includes a cost ceiling of $3 billion. The program includes delivery of up to 75 manned fixed-wing aircraft, with an initial program award of $170 million.
Air Tractor reported that the future AT-802U Sky Warden fleet will provide close air support, precision strike, armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), strike coordination and meet advanced air control requirements for use in austere and permissive environments. The aircraft will be used in irregular warfare operations.
“An important part of our Trusted Disruptor strategy is listening closely to combatant commanders’ needs, and responding faster than the evolving threats,” said Christopher E. Kubasik, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, L3Harris. “We want to deliver game-changing, modular solutions to U.S. special operators for their hardest missions, and Sky Warden does just that.”
Global reach. Rapid Response. Persistent support. Because @USSOCOM needs to get to the fight when it matters most. Here’s how Sky Warden is going to reshape the battlefield for Special Ops Forces: https://t.co/Vqq587PboB pic.twitter.com/uyAgeL2O5N
— L3Harris (@L3HarrisTech) August 1, 2022
L3Harris expects to rapidly modify last summer’s Armed Overwatch prototype demonstrator into the production configuration and provide for customer weapon system testing in approximately six months.
Production of new, fully-modified, Armed Overwatch mission-configured aircraft will begin in 2023 at L3Harris’ Tulsa, Okla. modification center, following initial production at Air Tractor’s Olney, Texas aircraft manufacturing facility. Six new aircraft will be delivered under the low-rate initial production Lot 1.
“Sky Warden will bring powerful and affordable close air support, precision strike, armed ISR, and command and control capabilities directly to special operations forces in the battlefield,” said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “We are ready now to begin work on this modern, multi-mission system for the SOCOM Armed Overwatch program.”
The production-ready Sky Warden system can be adapted to a variety of mission requirements to meet U.S. mission needs.
“The Sky Warden design reflects our commitment to America’s national security and the AT-802U will be equipped with everything we’ve learned manufacturing aircraft over the past 46 years,” said Jim Hirsch, President, Air Tractor Inc. “The L3Harris team is an excellent partner, and our production and engineering staff are ready to immediately deliver this world-class product to our nation’s special forces.”
Some of the features of the AT-802U are:
- Rugged and Reliable – The Air Tractor 802U is designed and built for austere operations
- Effective and Flexible – Combat proven, multi-mission open systems architecture to “collapse the stack,” replacing multiple aircraft with a single aircraft
- Persistence and Payload – 6-hour loiter at 200 nm combat radius; 6,000 lb flexible combat load-out
- Connected – Robust suite of radios and datalinks providing multiple means for line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications
- Situational Awareness – Ability to host multiple EO/IR, ISR and other sensors
- Affordable and Sustainable – Low production and operating costs, backed by an established global sustainment network
