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Posted

It's (the 802U)  been requested quite a few times before.

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Posted

I've heard about this plane a while ago and was rather confused. Why does SOCOM need a light-weight turboprop attack plane? The only real advantage I see is low costs. But I am rather ignorant and still rather new to aviation so I'd be happy if someone could elaborate.

F-16C || F/A-18C || A-10C || F-4E || Mig-21bis || M-2000C
Syria -- Kola

Posted (edited)
8 hours ago, Sunbather said:

I've heard about this plane a while ago and was rather confused. Why does SOCOM need a light-weight turboprop attack plane? The only real advantage I see is low costs. But I am rather ignorant and still rather new to aviation so I'd be happy if someone could elaborate.

Costs are a big part of it. When fighting an insurgency, which is the mission Skyraider II is intended to, the game is cost effectiveness. Why waste oceans of fuel and a Maverick to hit an insurgent compound when you can sip fuel and do the same job with a well placed APKWS? This is for an environment without almost any ground to air threats. It also uses the P&W PT-6A, which everyone and their mother operates. In addition, it enjoys a huge level of part commonality with a sizable fleet of aircraft that's already been operating since the 1990s.

Another reason is that Air Tractors can operate from any strip. I've flown civvie Air Tractors and they're as rugged as it gets. They're also responsive and fun to fly.  And one more huge benefit is the loiter time. It's up there at near 8+ hours or so.

So basically, this is what you want on call if you're a SEAL team infiltrating an area hostile non-state actors are holding. This is not something you want to blunt a Russian push into Germany with, but something you're going to cover special forces extracting with a VIP.

Edited by MiG21bisFishbedL
  • Like 3

Reformers hate him! This one weird trick found by a bush pilot will make gunfighter obsessed old farts angry at your multi-role carrier deck line up!

Posted
vor 17 Stunden schrieb MiG21bisFishbedL:

Costs are a big part of it. When fighting an insurgency, which is the mission Skyraider II is intended to, the game is cost effectiveness. Why waste oceans of fuel and a Maverick to hit an insurgent compound when you can sip fuel and do the same job with a well placed APKWS? This is for an environment without almost any ground to air threats. It also uses the P&W PT-6A, which everyone and their mother operates. In addition, it enjoys a huge level of part commonality with a sizable fleet of aircraft that's already been operating since the 1990s.

Another reason is that Air Tractors can operate from any strip. I've flown civvie Air Tractors and they're as rugged as it gets. They're also responsive and fun to fly.  And one more huge benefit is the loiter time. It's up there at near 8+ hours or so.

So basically, this is what you want on call if you're a SEAL team infiltrating an area hostile non-state actors are holding. This is not something you want to blunt a Russian push into Germany with, but something you're going to cover special forces extracting with a VIP.

Nice write-up! I didn't even think about loiter times and that it can take off from any strip! That is a huge advantage indeed.

F-16C || F/A-18C || A-10C || F-4E || Mig-21bis || M-2000C
Syria -- Kola

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