Special Operations Command’s commando aircraft are in jeopardy

Special Operations

By Stavros Atlamazoglou

January 3, 2024

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special operations close air support training — A special operations troop conducts close air support training during the Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller Course at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Nov. 2, 2020. SOTACC is a 5-week course, hosted by the 24th Special Operations Wing, which allows special operations members from all branches conduct CAS missions and receive their Joint Terminal Attack Controller certification. The JTAC course is the only one in the Department of Defense specifically designed for special operations members. (U.S. Air Force photo Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

One of the US special operations community’s most important programs might be in jeopardy according to the government watchdog’s latest assessment.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommends the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) slow down its Armed Overwatch program and conduct further planning and analysis of the command’s actual requirements.

The Armed Overwatch program plans to acquire 75 AT-802U Sky Warden light aircraft to provide close air support capabilities to special operations forces around the world.

More data needed for Armed Overwatch

The Armed Overwatch program remains key for the special operations community.

In its latest report on the Armed Overwatch program, GAO found that when SOCOM and the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) conducted their analysis on how many aircraft they would need for the Armed Overwatch program they “relied on unproven assumptions” that don’t justify the number of 75 aircraft that they have requested.

In its assessment titled Special Operations Forces: DOD Should Slow Acquisition of Armed Overwatch Aircraft Until It Conducts Needed Analysis, GAO found that SOCOM and AFSOC could do with a much smaller fleet, though the report didn’t specify exactly how many aircraft would suffice.

Now the ball is back in SOCOM’s court, and it will need to justify the 75 aircraft to move the program forward or propose an adjusted number.

The AT-802U Sky Warden aircraft. (L3 Harris Technologies)

The Armed Overwatch program has been in the works for several years, and only in 2022 did SOCOM select the single-engine, two-person AT-802U Sky Warden by L3 Harris Technologies and Air Tractor as its candidate for the program. The program is set to begin in fiscal year 2025 and cost approximately $2.2 billion through fiscal year 2029.

Don’t get it wrong. The special operations community needs the Armed Overwatch program. Operators will tell you that the safety net of an AC-130 gunship, AH-6 Little Bird, or AH-64 Apache overflying the battlefield is invaluable when the going gets tough. However, it looks like SOCOM and AFSOC will need to find exactly how many aircraft are realistically needed and what exactly their capabilities will be otherwise the overall program will be jeopardized.

What commandos on the ground need

Special Operations Terminal Attack Controllers close air support — Special Operations Terminal Attack Controllers call in close air support from an A-10C Thunderbolt II at Moody Air Force Base, GA, May 10, 2021. The training gave the SOTACs an opportunity to call in CAS from various aircraft. This reinforces past knowledge to ensure proficiency in the operational environment. (US Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ethan Green)

Sandboxx News spoke to current and former special operators with close air support experience to get an understanding of what the users are looking to get from the Armed Overwatch program.

“A good [close air support (CAS)] platform is both a weapon and a sensor for the ground guys,” a former Air Commando told Sandboxx News.

“It needs to have the proper arsenal to deal with several potential threats on the ground, including concentrations of enemy troops, individual enemy fighters, fortified positions, etc. But it also needs to be able to use its sensors to provide timely and accurate information on the ground,” he said. “Is there a group of fighters moving in the opposite direction of the ground force? Is an individual hiding in a compound waiting to ambush the operators? A good CAS platform will be able to provide that information and also have the necessary munitions to take care of business if necessary,” the former Air Force special operator added.

Another thing that is important for a close air support platform is loiter time, which is the time the aircraft can remain flying over a target. An aircraft needs to be able to remain overhead for long periods so that there is no gap in coverage.

“I want my CAS platform to be able to quickly assess my situation and be empathetic and on the same page. Things can get hairy pretty quickly and the number one thing I want a CAS platform to do is to recognize what’s going on and be thinking a few steps ahead. However, the ground force commander still has the final say, so I also need those aircraft to be willing to hear out our strategy,” the former Air Commando added.