A modified single engine air tanker
Continue readingMilitary to purchase Air Tractor 802s capable of carrying weapons and surveillance equipment
Sky Warden, AT-802U. L3 Harris photo.Tricked out Air Tractor 802U aircraft are going to be purchased by the US military after being outfitted with surveillance equipment and the capability of carrying weapons.
U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded a $3 billion contract to L3Harris Technologies to build up to 75 Sky Wardens. They expect to begin delivery in fiscal year 2026 with full operating capability in 2029.
The basic aircraft, AT 802U, will be built by Air Tractor at their Olney, Texas aircraft manufacturing facility. L3Harris Technologies will add the additional equipment beginning in 2023 at their Tulsa, Oklahoma modification center.
L3Harris said the Sky Warden 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.
Air Force Magazine wrote that commander of Air Force Special Operations Command Lt. Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife testified before Congress in April that the Armed Overwatch program was designed to reduce the need for so-called “air stacks” of specialized, single-role aircraft to fly together over objective areas. In particular, the aircraft will likely be used to counter terrorist threats, often in coordination with troops on the ground.
Air Tractor AT-802U photographed at the 2009 Paris Air Show.Air Tractor is known for producing single engine agricultural spraying and firefighting aircraft. But the 802U has been around for at least 13 years after making a big splash at the 2009 Paris Air Show outfitted with bombs, rockets, and .50 caliber Gatling guns. (Wildfire Today, June 18, 2009)
There was a report in 2014 that the United States was considering modifying either the AT 802U or a Thrush to be sent to Yemen to battle terrorists. They were to be equipped with laser-guided missiles and high-tech electronic intelligence equipment, as well as armor to protect the crew.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Morgan and Gerald.
Report: U.S. may give armed SEATs to Yemen
Aircraft that are frequently used as crop dusters and single engine air tankers (SEATs) may be given to the government of Yemen to battle terrorists. BuzzFeed reports that models being considered are the Air Tractor AT-802U and Thrush. The two-seater aircraft would be equipped with laser-guided missiles and high-tech electronic intelligence equipment, as well as armor to protect the crew.
Wildfire Today reported on the armed AT-802U back in 2009 when it was a hit at the Paris Air Show.
The U.S. considered using drones, but they are getting a bad reputation. Officials apparently decided on sending up to ten of the single engine aircraft to Yemen, at least in part because “even poorly trained Yemeni pilots could learn to fly them”.
BuzzFeed reports:
According to a Central Command memorandum dated Feb. 3 and obtained by BuzzFeed, the “Precision Strike” program for Yemen would “greatly enhance counter terrorism (CT) objectives to support action against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.” The U.S. government says AQAP is a Yemeni-based group that has tried to launch terrorist attacks against the U.S., including the infamous failed effort by the “underwear bomber,” Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, in 2009.
One choice for Yemen’s “Precision Strike” plane, according to documents and the sources, is a version of an “Air Tractor” plane called a 802U. It’s a hardy airplane, manufactured in Texas. The fuselage resembles a World War II Spitfire fighter plane, though it flies more slowly.
Asked about the Yemen project, Air Tractor Inc.’s president, Jim Hirsch, said, “I’m not at liberty to discuss that program.” Although the Air Tractor is widely used as an agriculture plane for crop spraying, the company makes a version it says is for “counterinsurgency operations,” and Air Tractor’s website bills it as “a true irregular warfare aircraft.”
The other plane in the running is a Thrush, which looks similar to the Air Tractor and is also usually used as a crop duster. It is manufactured in Georgia by Thrush Aircraft.
Air Tractor converts air tanker/crop-duster into armed tactical attack plane
Air Tractor’s AT-802-U is seen Tuesday at the Paris Air Show.Air Tractor’s 802-F single engine air tankers are well known to wildland firefighters. But a new model, produced at their Olney, Texas factory, with bombs, rockets, and .50 caliber Gatling guns hanging off the wings would not look quite right flying over a fire. Air Tractor flew their new prototype across the Atlantic ocean recently to display it at the Paris Air Show.
The Wichita Falls, Texas Times Record News has the story:
A tractor from Olney [Texas] — an Air Tractor Air Truck-802U — has been one of the few stars at the Paris Air Show, according to articles in a variety of publications this week.
Maybe because it’s not an ordinary agricultural crop-dusting airplane. This baby was modified for a light attack capability against fixed, stationary and moving soft targets. The plane is designed for 12.7 mm GAU-19A three barrel Gatling guns, M260 rocket launchers and MK-82 bombs — and it can be configured to carry even more advanced weaponry.
“We are thrilled over all the attention the plane is getting,” said Air Tractor President and General Manager Leland Snow, who built the company from the ground up. “One thing that is coming out of the air show has been the popularity of the cheaper and sturdier airplane made by Air Tractor.”
In a Wall Street Journal article, Air Tractor Design Engineer Lee Jackson said, “One of the things people are most surprised by is all the munitions hanging off of it.”
A headline from forbes.com said, “Paris Air Show 2009: Air Truck AT-802U One of the Few Highlights.” One in the Los Angeles Times business section read: “Air Tractor turns lowly crop-duster into tactical attack plane.” The headline in the Flight Daily News said, “Paris Air Show: Cropduster-turned-gunship makes Le Borget debut.”
Snow, who began designing his first airplane, the S-1, in 1951, also said, “It is really exciting. Air Tractor has never got this type of attention. The agricultural industry is one that a few years you can’t build enough and then there’s others you can’t give them away.”
The Wichita Falls resident said it was his idea to develop the airplane after talking with a customer about his particular needs.
“I had a customer interested in a plane configured like our State Department planes, one that had armory and ballistic glass. The customer provided the basis for the development of a heavily armored airplane,” he said. “In my own mind, I thought it could do all the things an F-16 can do … and do it better. It will fly at a lower speed and altitude. It is not how fast nowadays: it is how slow it can go. The AT-802U also has advantages over helicopters, and it is better armored.”
Snow said the airplane is being marketed as a counter-insurgency craft.
He said the plane has a maximum airspeed of 210 miles per hour and it can stay aloft for more than 10 hours.
“It can be used for missions for intelligence gathering and surveillance. It would fly at about 160 miles per hour for patrolling,” he said.
“We have an engineering team that is second to none,” he said. “They jumped on the project and worked hard, with significant results. I am proud of their accomplishments.”
Snow said the manufacturing facility in Olney will build about 100 of its different Air Tractor models this year and is “sold out well into next year.”
“If we get flooded with orders, we will have to increase production,” he said. “We will have to hire more people, not all at once, to ensure quality. We couldn’t deliver (Air Truck AT-802U) for maybe a year because of all the other orders.”
Wichitan Scott Gunter flew the plane to the air show, which runs through this weekend.
“He ferries our planes as an independent contractor,” Snow said. “He goes to South America, Europe and South Africa, or wherever they need to go.”