Office Suggests Slowing Down OA-1K Acquisition

The Pentagon's plans to acquire a fleet of new OA-1K armed overwatch aircraft are facing scrutiny following a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The statement questions the U.S. Special Operations Command’s (SOCOM) approach to purchasing these aircraft and suggests a total reevaluation of the program.

“It is essential that the Department of Defense act quickly to fully address GAO’s open recommendations,” the report reads. “Otherwise, it risks buying more aircraft than it needs.”

The OA-1K, produced by L3 Harris and Air Tractor, is based on the AT-802U Sky Warden. This is a crop-dusting style aircraft that can be equipped with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technology.

The OA-1K program is intended to replace two Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft -- the U-28 Draco and MC-12. SOCOM originally planned to order a fleet of 75 OA-1Ks, but later reduced the purchase to 62 aircraft due to budgetary constraints.

The GAO’s recent report suggests that the Pentagon limits initial purchases to a smaller number of aircraft for testing purposes. They believe that SOCOM has not yet completed a thorough analysis that justifies the immediate need for a full fleet. This comes in light of concerns about the aircraft's operational capabilities and logistical challenges involved in deploying them to remote locations, in which they are expected to be most useful.

The GAO also debates whether or not the OA-1Ks can live up to prior military aircraft standards.  This issue only grows as the military turns its attention from counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to global power conflicts with near-peer militaries, like Russia and China.

The Pentagon has since agreed to reassess the size of the OA-1K fleet to be purchased and to conduct additional risk assessments. Their first two were delivered in June and are currently undergoing testing at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma. The Pentagon plans to establish a training program for the OA-1K at this location.

This warning follows a similar GAO assessment published last December. The watchdog had encouraged SOCOM and the Defense Department to take their time processing a $2 billion purchase of 75 AT-802U Sky Warden -- which just happens to be the OA-1K’s big brother.

FMI: www.gao.gov