AT-802U Sky Warden
The AT-802U multi-mission aircraft is the rugged, versatile solution for managing an array of evolving security environments. For military and civil security customers, it provides a cost-effective, FAA type-certified platform with the most endurance and payload capacity in its class. Sky Warden is based on the rugged and capable Air Tractor AT-802, which features the largest payload capacity of any single engine turboprop aircraft. It hosts L3Harris’ world-class family of communications, sensors and airborne ISR solutions. The platform is backed by the company’s extensive turnkey ISR operation experience.
The Air Tractor AT-802 multi-mission aircraft draws upon a 50-year heritage of rugged, simple and reliable airplanes. Sky Warden’s name commemorates two best-in-class, multi-mission special operations combat platforms. It merges the deep history of the Vietnam era A-1E Sky Raider with the present-day U-28, which uses the callsign “Warden” during combat operations. Sky Warden combines their heritage and capabilities to collapse the stack, providing one aircraft capable of multiple mission roles.
Today, hundreds of AT-802 series airplanes are working around the globe and supported by an international 24/7 logistics network. The AT-802U is the largest single-engine turboprop in the world, with a maximum gross weight of 16,000 pounds and an 8,000 pound (3.629 kg) payload capacity. Since it first flew in 1990 more than 770 AT-802 airframes have been produced in a variety of FAA certificated versions. It brings 8+ hours of endurance to a wide range of mission capabilities.
On 06 May 2021 L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) and Air Tractor teamed to produce the AT-802U Sky Warden™, an affordable, production-ready aircraft designed for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and other missions in extreme combat environments. Sky Warden is based on the rugged and capable Air Tractor AT-802, which features the largest payload capacity of any single engine turboprop aircraft. It hosts L3Harris’ world-class family of communications, sensors and airborne ISR solutions. The platform is backed by the company’s extensive turnkey ISR operation experience.
L3Harris’ mission systems, operators, and field teams have supported SOF with more than 1.3 million combat hours over the past 10 years. The system offers unparalleled flexibility, the essential ingredient for special mission success. Sky Warden is built for the ISR Strike mission and is precisely designed to counter threats in austere, challenged, combat environments with limited infrastructure. The system is backed by a worldwide support and logistics network and by the company’s extensive turnkey ISR operations experience.
SOF missions often require a “stack” of aircraft to provide a host of capabilities needed by ground teams. The multimission Sky Warden effectively “collapses the stack” by merging the capabilities of larger ISR and armed aircraft capabilities into one cost-effective, resilient package while offering the operator the agility and flexibility to identify, track and immediately react to counter threats.
The Sky Warden has communications and sensor suites on par with larger aircraft like the King Air and the AC-130. The Sky Warden features the largest payload capacity of any single turbine engine aircraft, which hosts L3Harris’ world-class family of communications, sensors and airborne ISR solutions.
The multi-mission platform provides the operator agility and flexibility to identify, track and react to counter threats. It merges the capabilities of larger ISR and armed aircraft into one resilient package. It is also capable of takeoff and landing on unimproved airstrips – allowing the aircraft to be deployed and colocated with special mission operators. “Air Tractor aircraft were developed precisely to operate in austere environments with limited infrastructure,” said Jim Hirsch, President, Air Tractor, Inc. “Our aircraft are built to offer unparalleled flexibility, essential ingredients for special mission operators.”
“Our mission systems, platforms, direct operators and sustainment teams have supported more than 1.3 million combat hours of special operations ISR and attack missions in the past 10 years,” said Luke Savoie, President, Aviation Services, L3Harris. “Combining that experience with Air Tractor, one of the largest turboprop aircraft OEMs in the world, enables our team to design and provide a mature platform capable of operating anywhere in the world and provides the tools needed to support any mission.”
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