Old Planes Get New Life In Central Texas Military Project

Old crop duster planes will get a new lease on life in Central Texas.

 From Crop-duster to Combat

A new Waco facility plans to re-configure crop duster and firefighter airplanes into military aircraft via the Sky Raider II program. The planes will support the U.S Special Operations Command and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).

L3Harris Technologies

Aerospace and Defense Contractor L3Harris Technologies will produce the 1K Sky Raider II aircraft for the US Air Force Special Operations Command. L3Harris officials say the project will produce around 70 new jobs. At least 10 people are needed to work on each plane across multiple shifts. The project will also be a great opportunity for new college and technical school graduates to develop their skills. From arrival, through production and user testing, each plane takes around 100 days to complete.

OA-1K Skyraider ll

According to the AFSOC website, The Skyraider II is “a cost-effective crewed aircraft that is adaptable across the spectrum of conflict. It is designed to have the ability to support special operations forces as well as the Joint Force through close air support, precision strike, and armed intelligence, and surveillance.”

 How Does It Work?

L3Harris Technologies convert the planes to military use by bolstering wing structure to hold rockets, missiles, and a set of ISR gear.

AFSOC

Air Force Special Operations Command is the special operations division of the United States Airforce and is headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida and provides all Air Force Special Operations Forces (SOF) for worldwide deployment. Prior to 1983, Air Force special operations forces were primarily assigned to the Tactical Air Command (TAC).