The rudimentary nature of the OA-1K Skyraider II, which will serve alongside such advanced machines as the F-22 Raptor and AH-64 Apache, is in fact one of the aircraft’s upsides.
On April 3rd, the OA-1K Skyraider II arrived at the Air Force’s Hurlburt Field in Florida. The arrival marks the first time the U.S. military has operated a piston-engine attack aircraft since the original Skyraider, the A-1, was retired decades ago.
The OA-1K, a modified crop duster, will “provide airborne eyes, ears, and precision fires to support ground troops in permissive airspace, just as its namesake, the A-1 Skyraider, did in the Korean and Vietnam Wars,” Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.
The OA-1K Is Ridiculously Easy to Operate
The rudimentary nature of the OA-1K, which will serve alongside such advanced machines as the F-22 Raptor and AH-64 Apache, is in fact one of the aircraft’s upsides. The OA-1K is expected to have a “small maintenance footprint” and the ability to seamlessly swap out sensors and weapons. In essence, the OA-1K should be cheap and easy to operate.
“Skyraider II represents not just a new platform, but a modular solution to our national security needs,” said AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Michael Conley. “It will redefine how we approach joint campaigning, crisis response, and the evolving landscape of modern warfare.”
The OA-1K will replace the U-28A Draco, a small propeller-driven aircraft that currently performs intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The OA-1K is capable of performing the ISR portion of the U-28’s mission profile in addition to close air support, meaning the OA-1K has a significantly more diverse mission profile than the aircraft it is replacing—which suggests the Air Force is moving towards a more efficient force structure.
“Officials have spoken of Skyraider II’s ability to “collapse the stack” of up to 20 ISR and armed defense aircraft that are sometimes called in to support special operations missions against violent extremist organizations,” Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.
Essentially, the Air Force is consolidating multiple aircraft, and their respective mission profiles, into one.
Integrating the Skyraider II Into the Force
Over the next few months, the Air Force will accept delivery of more OA-1Ks. The aircraft will be stationed at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma, where the training unit is located. Pilots at that base are already getting acquainted with the non-modified Air Tractor AT-802U, from which the OA-1K is derived. The preemptive training should help the OA-1K become integrated into the Air Force more quickly.
In total, the Air Force is expected to purchase 62 OA-1Ks—a reduction from the 75 units originally planned for. The reason for the reduction is said to be “resource constraints.” Still, according to Conley, the need for special operations aviators is steadily increasing—at times exceeding the levels seen during the Global War on Terror.
Why the U.S. military is so deeply engaged in special operations abroad today is a policy question worth investigating, especially given the campaign promises of the Trump administration to refrain from foreign entanglements. But with U.S. foreign policy being what it is, the OA-1K promises to aid in the execution of that policy—even though at first glance the aircraft seems an anachronism in today’s modern Air Force.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image courtesy of L3Harris.
