Throughout 2025, the OA-1K Skyraider II attack aircraft, intended to equip the Special Operations Command of the U.S. Air Force (AFSOC), has been called into question on more than one occasion. Doubts regarding the new aircraft—designed and developed for attack and support missions, as well as observation and reconnaissance—center on its usefulness in a potential high-intensity conflict such as one that could arise in a confrontation with rival powers. This has been reflected in the constant reduction of orders placed by the United States Air Force (USAF), with projections for Fiscal Year 2026 indicating the incorporation of only six aircraft.
Against this backdrop, L3Harris Technologies, one of the companies leading the program, is making various efforts to improve the outlook of the Skyraider II regarding its potential use and utility in the types of conflicts the United States may currently face. According to what the firm reported in 2025, alongside the expansion and modernization of its production facilities for the aircraft, it has recently announced and demonstrated its intention and capability to integrate its new Red Wolf cruise missile into its Sky Warden aircraft.
Based on the Air Tractor AT-802 and adapted for attack and ISR missions, the aircraft was selected by the USAF for its Armed Overwatch program under AFSOC, subsequently receiving the designation OA-1K Skyraider II.
In this regard, in a statement issued on February 9, L3Harris reported that it had recently demonstrated the capability “…to integrate its Red Wolf launched effects vehicle into its Sky Warden aircraft, highlighting the modularity of both platforms and the ease of integration for evolving mission requirements, including kinetic strike, electronic warfare (EW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).”
For his part, Jason Lambert, President of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Space, and Mission Systems at L3Harris, stated: “Our customers demand an agile and efficient aircraft that can fly, take off, and land anywhere, anytime, equipped with a wide range of payloads,” adding that: “The integration of Red Wolf and Sky Warden demonstrates L3Harris’ rapid reconfiguration and customization of key capabilities.”
Designated by the company as a “multi-domain kinetic vehicle for long-range precision strikes,” the Red Wolf cruise missile is part of the Wolf family of systems unveiled in 2020, which also includes the Green Wolf, a version specifically focused on electronic warfare missions; this capability, like its standoff attack counterpart, could also be integrated into the Skyraider II.
Looking deeper into the Wolf family of vehicles, its design is heavily influenced by long-range cruise missions, powered by a turbojet engine and featuring a high degree of stealth, with Green Wolf and Red Wolf being the first members of a family that the company also refers to as the Wolf Pack.
The decision to integrate them into the OA-1K is significant, as it aims to provide the aircraft—subject to the aforementioned scrutiny—with greater strike capabilities, enabling operations outside the engagement envelope of air defense and electronic warfare systems, which would be decisive in a high-intensity conflict with a rival power. Efforts are also reportedly underway to integrate them into AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters in service with the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
However, beyond providing capabilities that the aircraft currently lacks, the debate—both within the specialist community and inside the USAF—remains open. In addition to questions about its utility in high-intensity conflicts, concerns have been raised about its limited range and speed, reflected in a combat radius of 200 miles and six hours of endurance, as well as its survivability in highly contested operational environments.
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