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USSOCOM awards Air Tractor Sky Warden, L3Harris Armed Overwatch contract

Wed, 08/10/2022 - 4:19 pm
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    (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | AIR TRACTOR) Air Tractor Inc.’s AT-802U Sky Warden system which was selected as part of the Armed Overwatch program with U.S. Special Operation Command. The program includes delivery of up to 75 manned, fixed-wing aircraft.
editor@grahamleader.com

U.S. Special Operation Command (USSOCOM) announced last Monday it selected L3Harris Technologies and Air Tractor Inc.’s AT-802U Sky Warden system for the Armed Overwatch program. According to a press release from Air Tractor, the program will include delivery of up to 75 manned, fixed-wing aircraft, with an initial contract award of $170 million.

USSOCOM conducts global special operations and activities using Special Operations Forces in support of operations and campaigns against state and non-state actors and to protect and advance U.S. policies and objectives, according to the organization website. Among other tasks the organization is involved with civil affairs, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, countering weapons of mass destruction, foreign internal defense, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance and hostage rescue and recovery.

The Sky Warden system from Air Tractor will expand SOCOM’s irregular warfare capabilities under the contract with a cost ceiling of $3 billion. The fleet provided will provide a deployable, sustainable single-engine, fixed-wing, crewed and affordable aircraft system.

“It will provide close air support, precision strike, armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), strike coordination and forward air controller requirements for use in austere and permissive environments,” the Air Tractor press release states. “The aircraft will be used in irregular warfare operations.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Aug. 10 edition of The Graham Leader.