Oklahoma Air National Guard Receives First AT-802U, Begins Training for OA-1K Sky Warden | Aviation

U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command’s Light Attack becomes a reality, with the start of the training for the Sky Warden in both active duty and ANG units.

On July 29, 2024, the 137th Special Operations Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard received its first L3Harris / Air Tractor AT-802U at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City.  The announcement comes after one earlier this month that Hurlburt Field, Florida, had received their initial batch of two training aircraft on July 8.

The 137th SOW, already the Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the MC-12W “Liberty”, is now planned to become the FTU for the OA-1K as well. With the U-28A planned for retirement (or supplementation, depending on who you ask) and the MC-12W remaining in service, the 137th is presumed to be planning on flying two airframes – at least for now.

The OA-1K, a variant of the AT-802U, was the winner of Special Operations Command’s Armed Overwatch contract in 2022. The airplane beat out the Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine, Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, and PZL’s M28B 1R Bryza. The purpose of the contract was to outfit AFSOC with a small airframe for Close Air Support (CAS), strike, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance…