U.S. Special Operations Command reduced its desired purchase of armed overwatch aircraft from 75 to 62 following a government watchdog recommendation. The program aims to field fixed-wing aircraft for U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) using the AT-802U Sky Warden platform.
The command expected to spend $2.2 billion on the 75 aircraft to replace the U-28 Draco. SOCOM had purchased 16 Sky Wardens and planned to buy another dozen. However, the Government Accountability Office found that SOCOM had not planned for critical ISR capabilities provided by soon-to-be divested aircraft.
Developers of the armed overwatch aircraft must provide minimal logistics and support for austere missions. The aircraft must provide close air support, precision strike, and ISR capabilities primarily for counterterrorism and irregular warfare missions.
The GAO report outlined six major recommendations to reevaluate the number of aircraft needed, limit procurement until fleet size is determined, assess risks to missions, identify operational challenges, and update operational concepts. Fiscal year 2026 is crucial for completing operational testing, deciding full-rate production, and reaching initial operational capability.
The U.S. Air Force initially evaluated light attack aerial platforms in 2017 to free up advanced assets. The program was transferred to SOCOM, which requested 75 aircraft in 2021. The per-hour operating cost of the Sky Warden is a fraction of that of advanced fighters. Todd South, a Marine veteran of the Iraq War, wrote about this issue in multiple publications.
