All Special Operations Command articles
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In depth
L3Harris poised to deliver first OA-1K Armed Overwatch turboprop
Although the Armed Overwatch programme to develop a new close-air support turboprop has been criticised by government auditors, US Special Operations Command stands by the concept and contractor L3Harris is poised to deliver the first aircraft.
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News
USA no longer pursuing amphibious MC-130 variant
Although they described the concept as technically feasible, procurement officials at the US Special Operations Command say they are no longer pursuing a kit that could modify the Lockheed Martin MC-130J for amphibious take-offs and landings, citing budget constraints and competing priorities.
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Army special mission aviators will field V-280: SOCOM
Although no formal decision has been disclosed, procurement officials with the US Special Operations Command now confirm the army’s special operations aviation regiment will field Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor in the mid-2030s, shortly after the US Army’s conventional aviators do so.
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SOCOM to extend AH-6 service life following cancellation of new scout aircraft
Special Operations Command had hoped to replace its multi-role A/MH-6 helicopter with the US Army’s next-generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, whose development has since been cancelled.
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USAF special operations test air-launching small UAVs from MQ-9A
The recent demonstrations saw an Anduril Altius 600 deployed from a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper while in flight, as the US Air Force seeks to expand its ability to operate in a contested environment.
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Government auditor tells SOCOM to slow Armed Overwatch acquisition
The US Government Accountability Office says the Pentagon’s Special Operations Command is moving ahead too rapidly with the acquisition of Armed Overwatch turboprops from L3Harris-Air Tractor, failing to adequately justify the planned fleet size of 75 aircraft.
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Boeing lands SOCOM order for six MH-47G Chinook helicopters
The deal for six MH-47G special operations helicopters will help sustain Boeing’s Chinook Block II production line, while the manufacturer awaits a hoped-for acquisition decision by the US Army.
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Aurora proposes fan-in-wing aircraft for DARPA Sprint competition
Revealing the second of four designs for DARPA’s Speed and Runway Independent Technologies aircraft development programme, Boeing subsidiary Aurora is opting for a blended-wing-body approach using fan-in-wing rotors for vertical lift.
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DARPA selects competitors for high-speed vertical take-off and landing aircraft
Four manufacturers will compete to build an experimental, special operations-focused platform capable of combining jet aircraft speeds with the versatility of vertical take-off and landing.
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In depth
Value and versatility: Embraer pitches KC-390 to the USA
Brazilian airframer hopes to pick off business from aerospace giants like Airbus, Lockheed and Boeing with its multi-role KC-390 Millennium jet.
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Primordial Labs demos voice command technology for small UAVs
The developmental system known as Anura could allow military operators to direct unmanned aerial vehicles using voice prompts, rather than having to fly them with a physical control station.
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In depth
Ukraine war proves case for loitering munitions and counter-UAS defences
Early investments into offensive and defensive unmanned aerial vehicle technologies are paying off for first movers in the space, as the systems prove valuable on the battlefields of Ukraine.
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News
Armed Overwatch special-ops turboprop enters low-rate production
The head of acquisitions at US Special Operations Command say the low-altitude, close-air-support Sky Warden turboprop being built by L3Harris and Air Tractor is now in first-run low-rate initial production, after being selected for the Armed Overwatch programme in 2022.
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SOCOM yet to decide on acquiring Future Vertical Lift aircraft
The US Army is investing billions of dollars to develop its next generation of air assault and reconnaissance rotorcraft, but the Pentagon’s Special Operations Command remains unsure it needs such aircraft.
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SOCOM seeks partnership with Japan on maritime C-130 development
US Special Operations Command remains years from flying a Lockheed Martin C-130 variant capable of taking off and landing on water, but wants to learn about Japan’s experience with its ShinMaywa US-2 maritime aircraft.
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SOCOM looking for new high-speed vertical take-off and landing aircraft
The USA’s Special Operations Command is partnering with the Pentagon’s secretive technology development agency to develop a prototype for a clean sheet aircraft with fixed wing speeds and VTOL capability.
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USAF commandos land MC-130, A-10s on Wyoming highway
Special operations commandos and pilots with the US Air Force successfully landed UAVs, fighter aircraft and a multi-purpose tactical transport on a rural stretch of roadway during recent exercises.
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Leonardo to upgrade avionics on USA’s remaining C-27Js
The $91 million contract with the US Special Operations Command will provide an upgraded avionics package on the ageing Leonardo tactical transports, currently operated by the US Coast Guard and the US Army’s special operators.
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Unmanned aircraft disrupting military order: SOCOM chief
Citing on-going combat in Ukraine, the top general at the US Special Operations Command says commercial drones and military UAVs are upending the battlefield status quo.
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L3Harris and Air Tractor win Armed Overwatch competition for special ops air support
The partnership’s AT-802U SkyWarden prevailed over designs from Textron and Sierra Nevada in the competitive bid to provide reconaissance and close air support to the USA’s special operations troops.