The United States Is Getting New “Skyraiders”
The OA-1K will be designed to fly low and slow—with a maximum speed of 245 miles per hour.
The U.S. Air Force will be reviving the “Skyraider” designation decades after the final A-1 Skyraider was retired—with the upcoming OA-1K “Skyraider II” armed reconnaissance/attack aircraft scheduled to join the force sometime before 2029.
The obvious parallel between the Cold War-era A-1 and the modernized OA-1K is in its propeller. The A-1 was the last U.S. fighter/attack aircraft to feature a propeller, whereas the OA-1K will be the first fighter/attack aircraft to feature a propeller since the A-1’s retirement in 1973.
“Skyraider”: What’s In a Name?
When the A-1 was retired, the aircraft was already an anachronism from a bygone era. Jet engines had already been the standard in aviation for nearly thirty years. The revival of the propeller-driven attack aircraft now, in the late 2020s, cuts against the grain of an eighty year trend in military aviation.
Still, the propeller-driven premise has its upsides.
“I see a bright future for the OA-1K,” said Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command. “I think once our operators get their hands on it, it will be something different than what we expect it to be and that’s a good thing when we developed this requirement five years ago.”
Conley emphasized that the OA-1K would be modular and would have the adaptability to serve in a variety of mission sets, including close air support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. “I think we have lots of opportunities to help shape that platform into something different than what we had in the past,” he said.
Of course, the new Skyraider II is not without detractors, and the U.S. military’s decision to return to operating a propeller-driven attack aircraft after half a century without one has raised many eyebrows. Why go backwards when jet engine technology has long since been refined, and long since made ubiquitous? The OA-1K “has received criticism for using a propeller instead of a jet engine,” Defense News reported. “Some media outlets have referred to it as a “crop duster,” a reference to agricultural aircraft that spray pesticides on crops.
Brig. Gen. Craig Prather, AFSOC’s director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, addressed the criticisms. “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.” Conley also noted that propeller-driven aircrafts benefit from improved maneuverability and extended loitering times, which enhance the ability to collect real-time intelligence, and provide close air support to troops on the ground.
Indeed, the OA-1K will be designed to fly low and slow—with a maximum speed of 245 miles per hour (about one-sixth the top speed of a jet-powered F-22 Raptor) and a cruise speed of 210 miles per hour. For propulsion, the OA-1K will rely upon one Pratt & Whitney turboprop, capable of generating 1,600 horsepower, to power a 5-bladed Hartzell Propeller.
The first OA-1K is scheduled for delivery later this month to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The OA-1K’s arrival will harken a new era, in which the U.S. military once again operates propeller-driven attack aircraft.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
