{"id":24688,"date":"2022-11-21T21:41:36","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T21:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2022\/11\/21\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:52:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:52:05","slug":"how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/battlefield-tech\/it-networks-battlefield-tech\/2022\/11\/21\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\/","title":{"rendered":"How the US plans to train armed overwatch pilots for counterterrorism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four months after military officials picked a modified crop duster as America\u2019s newest counterterror plane, Air Force Special Operations Command is working to answer a crucial question: How do you fly it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to have to pay a lot of attention to training on this,\u201d AFSOC boss Lt. Gen. Jim Slife told reporters in September. \u201cWe haven\u2019t operated, at scale, a tail-dragger aircraft in quite some time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force and its special operations counterparts have sought a light attack and reconnaissance plane since 2009 but faltered at multiple points along the way. Their latest push began as an Air Force experiment in 2016 and morphed into a smaller procurement program overseen by SOCOM.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2022\/08\/01\/us-special-operations-command-chooses-l3harris-sky-warden-for-armed-overwatch-effort\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sky-Warden-1.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US Special Operations Command chooses L3Harris\u2019 Sky Warden for Armed Overwatch effort<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">AFSOC hopes its Armed Overwatch plane will be able to pressure violent extremist groups in austere places like Africa, where the airspace is largely permissive.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Special Operations Command chose the AT-802U Sky Warden, pitched by L3Harris and Air Tractor, to fill the role in August. The military plans to buy as many as 75 of the propeller-driven, fixed-wing aircraft under a contract worth up to $3 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The newly designated OA-1K will replace other special operations platforms as the go-to plane for close air support, precision strike, and armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in counterterror missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aircraft like the Sky Warden, known as \u201ctail-wheel\u201d planes, differ from other airframes during the most crucial phases of flight: taxi, takeoff and landing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The OA-1K\u2019s nose is angled up during ground operations, limiting what a pilot can see in front of the aircraft, AFSOC spokesperson Lt. Col. Becky Heyse said in an email Wednesday. Its center of gravity also falls behind, not in front of, the main landing gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/2022\/08\/02\/how-l3harris-created-us-special-operators-new-plane-to-hunt-and-strike-terrorists\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sky-Warden-2.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">How L3Harris created US special operators\u2019 new plane to hunt and strike terrorists<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">\u201cWe were trying to look at our own past experiences and understand what made it work,\u201d L3Harris&#039; Luke Savoie said of the design process for the AT-802U Sky Warden, U.S. Special Operations Command&#039;s new Armed Overwatch plane.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat this means is that during taxi, takeoff and landing operations, pilots need to be more cognizant of aircraft alignment and crosswinds,\u201d Heyse said. \u201cTail-wheel aircraft are more prone to rotational forces around their center of gravity, due to [their] location in relation to [the] main gear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Slife said he\u2019s comfortable with the plane\u2019s built-in safety features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSOCOM picked a platform that I think we\u2019ll make good use of,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I am paying a lot of attention to what that training pipeline looks like, to make sure that we don\u2019t put people in over their heads with a type of airplane they\u2019re not used to flying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air Education and Training Command, AFSOC and L3Harris are working on a syllabus that will guide airmen through the intricacies of tail-wheel flight. That syllabus will determine the length of each armed overwatch training class, Heyse said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/2021\/05\/18\/these-five-companies-could-build-a-new-armed-overwatch-plane-for-air-force-special-operators\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"223\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SKY_WARDEN_HERO_900x670.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">These five firms could build a new armed overwatch plane for US Air Force special operators<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">A replacement for the U-28 Draco could be chosen as early as 2022.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force expects to run tests on the airframe until summer 2024, and have its instructors trained to teach students by fall 2025. AFSOC is considering training test pilots and instructors on commercial tail-wheel aircraft before they progress to the OA-1K itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It plans to bring in nearly 200 pilots to staff the fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe formal training unit plans to start training new OA-1K crews in the fall of 2025,\u201d Heyse said. \u201cSafety is our top priority, and we are dedicated to ensuring our crews receive the right training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force hasn\u2019t decided where to base the OA-1K schoolhouse, though one option may be to pair it with other aviation training at Hurlburt. Hosting armed overwatch courses in the Florida Panhandle would give airmen access to the vast test and training range that stretches over the Gulf of Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/11\/16\/can-the-air-force-train-new-pilots-without-planes\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Sim-cockpit.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Can the Air Force train new pilots without planes?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Goodbye, T-1 Jayhawk. Hello, simulators.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTraining will require munitions, appropriate munitions storage areas, munitions airmen for support and range airspace that supports live fire for the OA-1K, &#8221; Heyse said. \u201cAlso, with every squadron planned to receive a simulator, there will also need to be facilities to support the simulators.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Armed overwatch planes are set to partially replace other pieces of the Air Force\u2019s special operations intelligence fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of March 2021, the Oklahoma Air National Guard owned 13 MC-12W Liberty planes, while 28 active duty U-28A Draco planes operate out of Hurlburt Field, Florida, and Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur U-28 and MC-12 units are transitioning into the armed overwatch platform over the next half-dozen years or so,\u201d Slife said. \u201cIt will largely be internal unit transitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SOCOM plans to keep U-28s around to provide airborne intelligence in situations like search-and-rescue and humanitarian relief missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/01\/18\/the-air-forces-plans-to-begin-a-light-attack-aircraft-competition-are-now-deferred-indefinitely\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Picture1.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">US Air Force\u2019s plan to launch light-attack aircraft competition is now deferred indefinitely<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Air Force believes it needs to conduct further experiments, its undersecretary has revealed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SOCOM boss Gen. Richard Clarke has suggested that four operational squadrons of 15 planes, plus one training squadron, would be enough to meet combat needs while giving each unit enough rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The OA-1K fleet is slated to be fully operational in 2029.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAFSOC is expecting it will be easy for crews to transition to this expanded mission set,\u201d Heyse said. \u201cThe challenge will be in learning the intricacies of flying tail-wheel aircraft, which our teams are prepared to do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Air Force plans to start training new pilots to fly the OA-1K armed overwatch planes in fall 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":66044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":36,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[7,29,16,36],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3356],"class_list":["post-24688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-battlefield-tech","category-home","category-it-networks","category-it-networks-battlefield-tech"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"GAG5E4WBLBHZZCLLPUIVQ3QJCI","arc_canonical_url":"\/management\/2022\/11\/21\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How the US plans to train armed overwatch pilots for counterterrorism - C4ISRNet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Air Force plans to start training new pilots to fly the OA-1K armed overwatch planes in fall 2025.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How the US plans to train armed overwatch pilots for counterterrorism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Air Force plans to start training new pilots to fly the OA-1K armed overwatch planes in fall 2025.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/battlefield-tech\/it-networks-battlefield-tech\/2022\/11\/21\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"C4ISRNet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-21T21:41:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T04:52:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. Cohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rachel S. Cohen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/battlefield-tech\\\/it-networks-battlefield-tech\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/21\\\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/battlefield-tech\\\/it-networks-battlefield-tech\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/21\\\/how-the-us-plans-to-train-armed-overwatch-pilots-for-counterterrorism\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": 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