The United States Air Force took a major step in modernizing its special operations by officially receiving its first OA-1K Skyraider II aircraft during a ceremony held on April 3, 2025, at Hurlburt Field Air Force Base in Florida.
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The event marked the official acceptance of the first units of the new light attack aircraft model, which arrived at the base in late June 2024. From now on, the Skyraider II will be operated by the 17th Special Operations Squadron, part of the 429th Special Operations Wing.
Although the ceremony took place in Florida, the squadron is based at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, in the state of Oklahoma. The location was not chosen at random: Will Rogers is where the teams will be trained to operate the new aircraft.
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The OA-1K Skyraider II is produced in partnership by Air Tractor Inc. and L3Harris Technologies, Inc. The model is based on the Air Tractor AT-802 agricultural aircraft, widely used in the civilian sector, and adapted for military missions. The name Skyraider II honors the legendary Douglas A-1 Skyraider, which played a significant role in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
According to the Air Force Special Operations Command, a total of 75 units of the new aircraft are expected to be acquired. The Skyraider II will enhance missions such as close air support, surveillance, and interdiction in hard-to-reach operational theaters.
Source and images: l3harris / Instagram @afspecopscmd. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.