The Skyraider II soon will arrive in support of U.S. Air Force Special Operations, providing an update to a classic close-ground support and surveillance model that saw service in the Korean and Vietnam wars. U.S. AIR FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
An updated version of a Vietnam-era surveillance and precision strike warplane could be deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border, a U.S. Air Force general said in February 2025. The OA-1K or Skyraider II provides a 21st century update to the Skyraider, which earned two Medals of Honor for Air Force pilots during the 1960s.
The Skyraider II is a cost-effective crewed aircraft. It will have the ability to support special operations forces and other troops with close air support, armed intelligence and reconnaissance, said Air Force Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, director of strategic plans, programs and requirements for the Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC). “While we don’t expect the Skyraider II to go mix it up with fifth- and sixth-generation fighters, it will provide value to our supported forces globally,” Prather said in an Air Force news release.
The Skyraider II’s tailwheel enables short takeoffs and landings and allows the warplane to operate in rough terrain on unimproved airfields, according to the release. “Providing scalable and precision effects is where the Skyraider II will come in. The Skyraider II could take on missions from the southwest border to Africa and create dilemmas to those we are in competition with,” Prather said.
The U.S. government designated eight Latin American criminal cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in February 2025. The government argues that the international connections and operations of the groups — including drug trafficking and violent efforts to extend their territory — warrant the designation, according to The Associated Press. Six of those cartels are Mexican: Carteles Unidos, Gulf, Jalisco New Generation, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, Northeast and Sinaloa. The two others are based in El Salvador (MS-13) and Venezuela (Tren de Aragua). The U.S. has made it a priority to suppress cartel activity along its southern border.
The original Skyraider was in service between 1946 and the early 1980s. During the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Skyraider provided support and firepower to Air Commando combat operations, the Air Force news release stated. In Vietnam, two pilots earned the Medal of Honor while flying the warplane.
A role for the Skyraider along the U.S.-Mexico border has not been determined, an AFSOC spokeswoman told Task & Purpose, a military affairs news site. The warplane is capable of a wide array of missions, she said. “While we can’t speculate on specific future operations, the versatile nature of the Skyraider II and its ability to support a wide range of missions makes it a viable option for special operations activities in support of the Joint Force in any theater,” AFSOC spokeswoman Lt. Col. Rebecca Heyse told the news site in February 2025.
The plane derives from the Air Tractor AT-802, which is usually used as a crop duster or a fire-fighting aircraft. The contractor, L3Harris, has been working on a military version for about four years that was previously knowns as the Sky Warden before AFSOC renamed it to honor its 20th century predecessor, according to Auto Evolution, a military affairs news site. A single Pratt & Whitney 1,600-horsepower turboprop engine and a 5-bladed Hartzell propeller powers the plane, which can reach 394 kilometers per hour with a range of up to 2,414 kilometers.
The warplane has 10 weapon mounts and can carry a payload of up to 6,000 kilograms, the website reported. The first Skyraider II will be delivered in the next few months. In total, 75 warplanes are on order, the website reported.
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