Showcasing Multi-Mission Suitability: agile, lethal, survivable, affordable & interoperable
This year’s Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC), which is held in Florida, USA, this week, attendees have the opportunity to examine Air Tractor‘s AT-802U’s tandem seat cockpit and interoperable flight systems.
A variety of sensors and munitions are mounted on the aircraft, including RF emitter targeting system (BAE Systems’ Tactical SIGINT payload) and precision-guided 2.75in rockets (Advanced precision kill weapon system [APKWS] guidance kit), Raytheon MTS-A Multi-Spectral Targeting System (providing electro-optical/ infrared, laser designation, and laser illumination capabilities integrated in a single sensor package), Dillon-Aero .50 cal. gun, FN Herstal gun pod, AGM-114 HELLFIRE rockets, and a GBU-12 for good measure.
Aptly described as a strike/ISR platform, the AT-802U has the versatility and performance attributes to fulfill all operational phases of Dynamic Targeting – find, fix, target, engage and assess (F2T2EA).
The AT-802U is one of the largest single-engine turboprops in the world, with a maximum gross weight of 16,000lbs and an 8,000lbs (3.629kg) 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.
The aircraft features: full US FAA type certification in armed ISR missionised configuration; selected by US State Department for its South American illicit drug eradication programme; selected by the UAE in 2009 for its light attack and ISR fleet; and approved by US State Department for Foreign Military Sales programmes.
Brian Kindamo