Armed Overwatch Competition - The Armed Overwatch program is an effort initiated by the US Special Operations Command to deploy approximately 75 manned, fixed-wing aircraft to perform close air support, precision strike and ISR missions.
SOCOM plans to use the system as a replacement for the U-28A Draco aircraft for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights in remote areas. The U-28As will soon reach the end of their service life, so the Armed Overwatch program is moving forward rapidly, with the goal of selecting designs, retraining crews, and fielding new aircraft that are "warfare capable." Don't underestimate the potential of the field." "
Armed Overwatch Competition
Armed Overwatch and its predecessor programs differ from the Light Air Support Program, a competition in which the US Air Force deploys turboprop attack aircraft for use by the Afghan Air Force rather than the US military.
Socom Picks L3 Harris' Sky Warden For Armed Overwatch
Operations during Independence and Iraqi Freedom proved that American special operators needed a surveillance aircraft that could fly in tougher airspace than modern fighter jets could. To meet this need, in 2006, the Air Force Special Operations Command purchased a batch of 28 commercial Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft, which were modified, loaded with ssor and communications equipment, and designated U-28A.
From 2009 to 2020, the US Air Force toyed with the idea of purchasing a small fleet of light attack/armed reconnaissance aircraft to provide air support to ground forces during COIN operations. In addition to performing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, the Vision aircraft will be capable of conducting air strikes for special operators and conventional forces at a fraction of the cost of multirole fighters (such as the F-15E and F-16). Jet-powered attack aircraft (such as the A-10), or stealth fighters (such as the F-22 and F-35). In December 2011, the Air Force selected the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano over Beechcraft's AT-6B Wolverine.
Congressional opposition, led by Kansas-based Beechcraft allies, repeatedly blocked early procurement efforts, and despite several bold attempts, the program failed to gain momentum.
U.S. Special Operations Command, which had long lobbied for a light assault/armed espionage program, launched Armed Overwatch as a result.
Us Special Operations Command Has Big Plans For Its Armed Overwatch Attack Planes
After the Air Force's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program ended, AFSOC decided to launch its own program to focus on multi-mission aircraft acquisition and fielding to meet SOCOM's needs in uncontested airspace. Although the FY 2020 NDAA authorizes SOCOM to take control of the existing Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program from the Air Force, Armed Overwatch is an entirely unrecognized endeavor.
Unlike the Air Force's previous light attack efforts, which primarily used turboprop attack aircraft to perform close air support missions for conventional ground forces, the Armored Overwatch program focuses on aircraft that are smaller with ISR and communications support. Can provide special operations teams. By U-28A Draco, plus close air support.
In early March 2020, more than 50 companies attended an Industry Day event to meet with SOCOM officials. Although SOCOM does not disclose which companies are submitting aircraft for the program, four (Sierra Nevada Corporation, Textron, Air Tractor, and Ledos) have indicated they are fielding designs for consideration.
While the Pentagon's fiscal year 2021 budget request requested $5 million to purchase an initial batch of 106 aircraft, delays related to COVID, as well as increased congressional scrutiny, delayed the program.
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By February 2021, AFSOC plans to conduct flight demonstrations in the summer of 2021, with procurement beginning in fiscal year 2022.
On April 6, SOCOM released “Armed Overwatch Program Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Contracts for a Prototype Project,” detailing SOCOM's three-phase plan for contract reviews. Step 1 requires interested VDs to submit a notice of Intt and a "white paper". Phase 2 will include a "Proposal Deep Dive," during which an official evaluation team will visit each applicant contractor's facility and hold two-day, one-on-one sessions with company representatives. This information will be used to evaluate each program's potential lifetime cost, as well as each applicant's ability to produce aircraft that meet SOCOM requirements in a timely manner. After Phase 1 and Phase 2, contracts will be awarded to four competitive vendors, awarding up to $4,000,000 per vendor to participate in Phase 3 demonstrations. Step 3 requires each applicant to provide flight demonstrations of their aircraft and details of their plan to deliver "up to 75 aircraft over a period of 5-7 years".
Phase 3 flight demonstrations are tentatively scheduled for November 2020. SOCOM expects the tire evaluation process to be completed "on or about April 1, 2021."
A draft of the 2021 NDAA approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee describes the Armed Overwatch Project as a "underperforming" program and prohibits the purchase of any aircraft as part of the effort, while SOCOM has the U-28A. Stops Draco from retiring. or any other manned ISR aircraft.
Afsoc Open To Uavs For Armed Overwatch, But Concerned About Required Manpower
The House Committee on Appropriations, in its fiscal year 2021 appropriations bill, proposed appropriating an unspecified amount for "a new initiative for SOCOM's armed overwatch program."
In February 2021, AFSOC Commander Lt. K. James Saliff announced that, despite delays due to COVID and further scrutiny from Congress, AFSOC would move forward with flight demonstrations of the Armed Overwatch competition in the summer of 2021. He pointed out. AFSOC is "cautiously optimistic" that they will be able to gather the necessary data and information from the experiment to secure funding for the procurement in early fiscal year 2022.
The Armed Overwatch program is the seventh attempt by the US military in the last fourteen years to evaluate or purchase a commercial, off-the-shelf turboprop aircraft for reconnaissance and attack duties: it follows the US Navy's Imminent Fury combat test (2008). .
In April 2022, it was reported that the armed Overwatch program had become an official program of record, as the FY2022 defense budget included $170,000,000 for the purchase of six aircraft.
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In April 27 testimony before the State Armed Services Committee, Lt. Slife said SOCOM will make a decision on the source of those aircraft "within weeks," adding that "I would like to see a contract award this summer."
These initial aircraft, along with nine more requested as part of the FY2023 defense budget, will be part of a low-rate initial production batch, mostly used for operational tests and evaluations.
SOCOM expects it to award full-rate production contracts in Q4 of FY2024.
On May 14, 2021, SOCOM announced that contracts totaling $19,200,000 had been awarded to five companies to develop prototype aircraft.
Coraz Bliżej Ogłoszenia Zwycięzcy W Konkursie Armed Overwatch
Based on Beechcraft's successful T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft, the AT-6 includes additional sensors, communications gear, and weapon hardpoints. The AT-6 was one of two finalists in the Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program.
Although so far only USAT-6s have been sold for evaluation by the US Air Force, hundreds of T-6A and T-6B trainers are in service with the US Air Force and the US Navy, respectively.
Basically an upgraded C-145A fighter jet, itself a variant of the Polish-made M28. While the C-145A is a STOL-capable light cargo aircraft operated in small numbers by AFSOC, the MC-145B incorporates SSR, communications equipment and weapons, allowing it to perform ISR and CAS missions. .
Armored version of the successful AT-802 Cropduster. 24 armed AT-802s have been delivered to the UAE, some of which have been loaned to the Yemeni Air Force and used in airstrikes.
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Originally designed by South Africa's Paramount Group as the AHRLAC, the Bronco II is a new aircraft designed for rough air support rather than being converted from existing designs like its rivals. Despite the name "Bronco II", the aircraft is a new design, not its descendant OV-10 Bronco. Bronco II has no known operator.
A modified version of the American-made, Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano. The A-29 was one of two finalists in the Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program, and was the winner of a US contract to provide aircraft and training for the Afghan Air Force. The Nigerian Air Force has also purchased 12 A-29s.
While the Sierra Nevada Corporation initially indicated that the A-29 would be scrapped for the Armed Overwatch program, the A-29 was not awarded a prototype contract. Sierra Nevada Corporation appears to have abandoned efforts to market the aircraft to AFSOC, focusing on its MC-145B.
Based on the Cessna 208 Caravan, the MC-208 Guardian is a multi-role version equipped with additional surveillance SSR, avionics, weapon hardpoints, and weapons systems. The MC-208 convoy can be armed with eight Hellfire missiles and 28 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guided rockets for smaller targets. A partnership between L3Harris and Air Tractor has been chosen to supply America's elite. Special Operations Forces with a new closed air support platform.
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The Armed Overwatch program was launched by the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in 2020 to provide a replacement for the Pilatus U-28A Draco turboprop, which currently fulfills only an aerial reconnaissance role.
The AT-802U Sky Warden L3, a collaboration between Harris and AirTractor, has been selected as the winner of SOCOM's Armored Overwatch program.
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