Air Force Preps New Light-Attack Plane for Combat

by Kris Osborn

Dropping precision-guided bombs from thousands of feet up in the air and coordinating closely with ground-attack controllers to identify targets, Light Attack aircraft being evaluated by the Air Force for combat missions recently conducted a wide range of operational scenarios at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

The combat scenarios were part of experimenting with the range of missions sets likely to be needed in attacks against terrorist fighters and other instances where the US Air Force has air supremacy – but still needs maneuverability, close air support and the ability to precisely destroy ground targets.

The emerging OA-X Light Attack aircraft is envisioned as a low-cost, commercially-built, combat-capable plane able to perform a wide range of missions in a less challenging or more permissive environment.

The idea is to save mission time for more expensive and capable fighter jets, such as an F-15 or F-22, when an alternative can perform needed air-ground attack missions – such as the current attacks on ISIS.

During the experiment, Air Force pilots flew basic surface attack missions in Textron Aviation’s AT-6 Wolverine turboprop, as well as in Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano, an Air Force statement said.

The emerging OA-X Light Attack aircraft is envisioned as a low-cost, commercially-built, combat-capable plane able to perform a wide range of missions in a less challenging or more permissive environment where the US Air Force already has air supremacy.

The Air Force tested Sierra Nevada’s A-29 Super Tucano, the Hawker Beechcraft AT-6, the Textron Scorpion Jet and the Air Tractor AT-802U during the experiment.