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Will the OV-10 ride again?

By
Stephen Trimble
 on January 23, 2009 9:09 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0) |

TDL's pals at Inside the Air Force (subscriber-only) got the scoop of the week, in my opinion. Boeing is apparently pitching a new -- and really improved -- version of the OV-10 Bronco for the counter-insurgency mission.

 

BOEING LOOKING TO GET INTO LIGHT-ATTACK PLANE MARKET WITH NEW OV-10

 

As the Air Force contemplates a requirement for a light-attack plane, Boeing has internally put together plans to build a souped-up modernized version of the Vietnam-era OV-10 Bronco, Inside the Air Force has learned.

 

While the twin-engine plane would maintain much of its 1960s-vintage rugged external design, the 21st Century edition would feature a computerized cockpit, intelligence sensors and smart-bomb-dropping capabilities, according to an OV-10(X) product card obtained by ITAF. The Chicago defense-giant has quietly been circulating plans at military-sponsored events across the country that detail how the company could rebuild and modernize the Bronco, according to Pentagon and industry officials.

 

I immediately called Jim "Grump" Hodgson, president of the OV-10 Bronco Association. About three years ago, senior US military officials contacted Hodgson's group, asking about the availability of OV-10s to help solve the improvised explosive device problem in Iraq.

 

Unfortunately, Hodgson couldn't give them good news. Only a few OV-10s were left in the boneyard, and most of the rest were in active combat service in Colombia, Indonesia, Philippines and Venezuela.

 

Hodgson said several members of his group are aware of new Boeing's plans for the OV-10. Interest is growing internationally in restarting production. The US Air Force also might consider it, but, as the ITAF story reports, it would compete for the role agains the T-6B Texan II, AT-67 Dragon and EMB-314 Super Tucano.

 

The sudden appeal of the old OV-10 -- even in an age dominated by Predator drones -- doesn't surprise Hodgson.

 

"It doesn't make any different how good your UAV is," he said. "Nothing replaces a couple of eyeballs on a head that moves around." 

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3 Comments

Prom
By Prom
on January 26, 2009 3:55 PM | Reply

nice! I take a new Bronco over a UAV ever day!

ramjet
By ramjet
on October 7, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply

Properly executed, a modernized OV-10 could be a very capable, flexible, and highly relevant platform in several, if not most, of the missions in the COIN spectrum. A new Bronco could embody many advantages unavailable to the Texan II or Super Tucano. The most obvious of these is twin-engine safety in hostile fire situations. Ask the crews of the two Caravans that were lost in Colombia, while Skymasters operated safely for years in the same AO. Rather like when the USAF decided to replace the O-1 Bird Dogs with O-2 Skymasters in SEA.
The new Bronco will be much more STOL and rough field capable, due to it's power loading, and high wing design for greater prop clearance. The cavernous fuselage bay could host several crew or pax, a quick-change sensor/SIGINT pallet, and/or aux. fuel for rapid self-deployment. The tiny turn radius is ideally suited for moutainous terrain. A belly-mounted turret could provide the advantages of an AC-130 gunship on a smaller scale that would be more quickly available to TIC and to provide CAS for SPECOPS. The idea here is to provide a wide range of required and validated operating capabilities in a highly responsive way. Doctrine to support its employment must include basing as far forward as possible, preferably with troops at patrol bases for direct liaison with ground forces. The Marines know how to do this. If the USAF doesn't buy into forward basing, then give them to the Army. The Bronco COULD be more suitable for forward basing than helos. Less maintenance, less frequent fueling due to higher endurance. Higher dash speed to/from rear support bases. So...you go Boeing!
6-7 blade composite props, 30mm turret-mounted gun system.
Roll-on, Roll-off sensor booth, Multi-sensor w/full-motion video up/down link, STOL enhancements, modern powerplants, lightweight armor, yadda yadda

ramjet
By ramjet
on October 7, 2009 4:39 PM | Reply

Properly executed, a modernized OV-10 could be a very capable, flexible, and highly relevant platform in several, if not most, of the missions in the COIN spectrum. A new Bronco could embody many advantages unavailable to the Texan II or Super Tucano. The most obvious of these is twin-engine safety in hostile fire situations. Ask the crews of the two Caravans that were lost in Colombia, while Skymasters operated safely for years in the same AO. Rather like when the USAF decided to replace the O-1 Bird Dogs with O-2 Skymasters in SEA.
The new Bronco will be much more STOL and rough field capable, due to it's power loading, and high wing design for greater prop clearance. The cavernous fuselage bay could host several crew or pax, a quick-change sensor/SIGINT pallet, and/or aux. fuel for rapid self-deployment. The tiny turn radius is ideally suited for moutainous terrain. A belly-mounted turret could provide the advantages of an AC-130 gunship on a smaller scale that would be more quickly available to TIC and to provide CAS for SPECOPS. The idea here is to provide a wide range of required and validated operating capabilities in a highly responsive way. Doctrine to support its employment must include basing as far forward as possible, preferably with troops at patrol bases for direct liaison with ground forces. The Marines know how to do this. If the USAF doesn't buy into forward basing, then give them to the Army. The Bronco COULD be more suitable for forward basing than helos. Less maintenance, less frequent fueling due to higher endurance. Higher dash speed to/from rear support bases. So...you go Boeing!
6-7 blade composite props, 30mm turret-mounted gun system.
Roll-on, Roll-off sensor booth, Multi-sensor w/full-motion video up/down link, STOL enhancements, modern powerplants, lightweight armor, yadda yadda

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