The new OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft from the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is equipped with a standard rifle sight installed in its cockpit.
As reported by The War Zone, a user on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out the peculiar detail about the aircraft in a post made last Monday (17). “Why does this Sky Raider II have an EOTech in the cockpit?” the caption read.
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Now we have a definitive answer. “The Skyraider II will be used for close air support, precision strike, and armed ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance],” an AFSOC spokesperson told TWZ.
“Therefore, the sight was included in the OA-1K’s design from the very beginning and installed on all OA-1Ks. The EOTech holographic sight is used before flight to align the pilot’s helmet-mounted sighting system with the aircraft’s position.”
According to available information, OA-1K pilots use the Scorpion system from Thales, a helmet-mounted display already integrated into several other tactical aircraft in U.S. service.
The system places essential data—including positions of friendly and enemy forces, flight information, and more—directly in the pilot’s line of sight.
In modern tactical combat aircraft, where crew members use helmet-mounted displays, the pre-flight alignment process may involve calibrating the positioning through information projected onto the aircraft’s integrated Head-Up Display (HUD).
However, the OA-1K cockpit, despite being full of digital displays, does not have a HUD. Therefore, there is a possibility that the EOTech sight serves as an emergency backup option for aiming weapons.
Photos: USAF / X @GansoConABomba. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Why does this sky raider II have an eotech in the cockpit? pic.twitter.com/ZhH8rQbWQG
— Ganso (@GansoConABomba) November 17, 2025
