The Stuka broke the back of the French Army during the battle of France It was the only precision airborne weapons platform that could drop a bomb right through the roof of cars bringing French Army officers to the front By decimating the French military command during and after the breakthrough at Sedan. The German army forced the BEF and the French Army in the Dyle pocket to retreat to Dunkirk Then on the road to Paris in June, Stukas did their rinse dry repeat and forced the surrender on June 22nd 1940 You will not find a French military officer who rips on the Stukas, but for incomprehensible reason you find plenty in the United States
@@newelllondon724 A good point, but... The French made a number of poor assumptions across the board about military technological advances in the inter-war years (tactical and strategic). The allies in general learned and adjusted tactics after the fall of France. I would never question the effectiveness of the Stuka early in the war. However, it became easier prey from that point forward. The A6M Zero was a terror at the start of the war. Not so much by the end. Old designs and tactics fall to the wayside as new designs take precedent. I don't really see your point.
They are literally talking about a THREE BILLION dollar contract for 75 of these. That's 40 million per plane. For a modified crop duster. Look, I know things cost money. But this is ridiculous.
More than hardpoints, this thing has a lot of EW gear. Meant to reduce the force multiplication available by modern comms which have proliferated to nearly all the world.
I saw the precursor to the Sky Warden back in 2000. Air tractor was supplying up armored crop dusters to the Colombians for spraying coca fields. They had Corsair blue paint, cockpit armor, and bullet resistant canopy glass. They were at the avionics shop in Fredricksberg, TX having GPS flaggers installed. It’s the heaviest lift single engine monoplane in production.
Me to a friend, many years ago: I think the U.S should go back to developing propeller based attack planes to ease the cost and keep the planes up in the air for a lot longer, and sell them at $10 million a plane. The U.S: Great idea, let's buy that $500k crop duster for $40 million. Someone's making a very huge profit margin out of this. The A-29 Super Tucano is $9-14 million USD each and A-10's cost $18 million. There's no way this costs $40 million 😂
The price also factors in maintenance, services for each plan provides by the civilian contractors over a set amount of years, probably 3-5. Also the company provides training and classes for the pilots. But yes, still overpriced.
They fly very different roles at very different costs. A-10 was a flak sponge back in Desert Storm where I worked next to them at KKMC. This is 2024 not 1974.
@@Comm0ut The A10 went into service March 1976, Desert Shield started in Aug 1990 and Desert Storm started January 17, 1991! Not sure where you're getting your dates from! I remember them all to well!👍
Our gov't grounded a perfectly great OV-10 and spent 25 years and billions of dollars to replace it. They ended up with an A/C that is slower and not nearly as reliable.
Here Here Ov-10 ftw. Flex fuel, high payload, can carry cargo, dual engine for suitability. They were using the OV-10 as late as 2018! Battle proven arleady
Brazil is not a stable partner. Nothing below the US/Mexico border is stable. Tucano is fine to hand to client nations who are going to lose them anyway, but not for long term US use.
Critical error may be the in-line engine. Someone in the Pentagon was not familiar with the vulnerability of the P-51 Mustang in WWII ground attack role. If the engine took a hit, the plane was doomed. That's why the USAAF preferred the P-47 Thunderbolt with its air cooled radial engine in the ground attack role. The radial engine could take several hits and still fly.
This may be incredibly difficult to understand but this SOCOM bug smasher is not used in a fighter role. Other turboprop aircraft like Pilatus Porter do yeoman service in the roles it is intended for.
@@jamescook7713 I quite enjoyed working on them but it makes zero economic sense to retool (there is no tooling) to make an aircraft modern drones render obsolete. Manned FAC/attack systems are helpless against MANPADS and, much worse, require CSAR to rescue downed aircrew. Aircrew should either be at home station or replaced by automated systems. Manned aircraft have absurd cost disadvantages over drones. These little shitboxes are for specialty work which doesn't justify new build manned airframes.
@@Comm0ut Reverse engineering is very easy. I'm retired Air Force. Egress section chief on the A-10. These single engine attack aircraft are jokes, like the A-29 Tucano at 6.5 MILLION dollars each. The "Sky Warden" has less operational value than most WW 2 fighter or attack aircraft did. Again, 2 engines are better than 1.
I live only a few miles from Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson where the A10 was based and are now being decommissioned. The word is that the A29 Super Tuscano will replace the A10 in many missions. A few are already on base and the training has begun. It makes sense because it's faster than the flying tractor and more capable. It's a proven platform and has already been tested and found more than acceptable back in 2022 and 2023. The A29 is a superior platform in every way. Defense corruption is the only reason the flying tractor is around IMO.
Man, the crop-duster trash talk in the comments is huge! This plane is definitely low and slow. There are not going to be many orders domestically for this plane. The rapid evolution of battlefield drone technology probably has superseded the practical affordability and successful use of this plane. Unless they discover it will make for a good affordable mid size drone interceptor.
@I7435IC the jet powered drones will probably give the air tractor some fits, but it should be able to catch many of the propeller driven drones. A limiting speed factor for propeller driven models is speeds are limited to speeds keeping the propeller blades from going supersonic. Very few planes operate with supersonic propeller blades. (It is done, but there are significant negative impacts.) an air tractor can operate at speeds up to about 245 mph, even though most of the time it’s running around in the 150 to 200 mph range. Most of the current one way drones being used in Ukraine operate at speeds less than 75 to about 140 mph. And I bet if they wanted to, they could tweak the air tractor to reach speeds approaching 300 mph without too much trouble with current off the shelf parts.
Firstly your comment is completely illogical. If we're building the replacement to the attend that means we should keep building the A10! This makes no sense. And secondly the 810 hasn't been built in decades that are none being built zero none middle they will never be another one built ever.
We should just cancel the A-10 period, regardless of the existence of this....thing. The A-10 is an antique and should've been confined to the dustbin of history after the 1st gulf war
These were doing “test runs” off the east coast of CT/NY - going totally silent on approach/fly over and then you hear it again after passing “target” zone I guess
Looks like a Air Tractor. That's a pretty large add on. Mr Patey sure likes his new airport and house. No question he is a remarkably talented engineer but $40 mill a copy, that is a lot of $$$$$$.
my son is a usaf ltc and special operations senior-rated pilot. he helped evaluate the skywarden when it still a crop duster several years ago over several months in waco tx. his verdict: totally unsuitable, exceedingly cramped cockpit, not fully ifr, tail landing gear, designed to be a suitable, guess what, crop duster. his recommendation: the operationally proven super tucano. pentagon leadership is our own worst enemy.
@@jtns2845 It's not xenophobia. How will you sell to the people and decision makers that the plane they should risk their lifes in is not American. Because it's cheaper? Not going to happen. If this would be the case you guys would fly the European tanker which is clearly superior to what was selected.
next-generation T-6C Texan II military flight trainer aircraft (previously Hawker Beechcraft) is an enhanced version of the primary aircraft training system T-6B Texan II. It’s a Textron Aviation brand, Beechcraft. Its in the usaf inventory now.
Hell yeah. I’ve been flying crop dusters for 30 years. Bout time they get outta the fields and get on with the something, something in the battle field!!!
Crop duster technology is amazing. Weapons systems because of it's heavy load capacity worked great in Ukraine and now everyone wants one. Funny the first was a standard duster loaded with jet fuel and a rear firing flare gun. Flying fire ball truly became one tracer round would defeat it.
It won't win a beauty contest that's for sure, let's just hope it's up to the job. Plus when not on combat missions they can hire out to local Farmers for crop dusting duties.
In some circumstances old and slow does the job better than new,fast and shiny. This is why the Marine Corps STILL uses the Browning M2 " Ma Duece 50 " .50 cal. HMG. Even though it is over 70 years old. For what it does nothing newer does it better.
@@terrific804 Special Forces do training outside of combat. National guard exists for national defence. It makes sense for the national guard to update its equipment?
Used to watch the crop sprayers back in 1976 in the then Transvaal and always thought they have potential. Just turbo it and change some dispersing nozzles for different applications. Think I was right
@@theycallmehoipilloi5495 Their pilots can get the turbine time while at it and that's what airlines like to use for hiring since insurance companies make that as one of the stipulations.
When I first looked at this aircraft about fourteen years ago, I thought pretty much the same as you. But with A-10s dying of old age, this Ag plane may fill a number of needs over the jungles and deserts of the world.
What kind of combat do you think it would be used for? If you're thinking about an intense shooting war like Ukraine and Russia, you're probably right. But I doubt this will be used in that kind of war.
Total BS. This is a civilian aircraft made by Air Tractor Company out of Olney TX. It has no connection to the National Guard. It pulls those aerial banners you see over outdoor sporting events. Look up the plane's N number on the FAA database. Most of the images presented are heavily edited with AI, including every image that shows weapons under the aircraft.
I still think they should have upgraded the OV-10, and restarted production. There's just something about having 2 engines, and some rear cargo capacity that makes sense.
This is genius Air Tractor put weapons bays on crop duster inflated the price by millions and sold it to the US Airforce as replacement for the A10!!! Remember the Sky raiders were retired because they could not fly in a contested area, they were sturdier and carried more weight. In a battlefield full of man pads, this slow low flying plane will be dubbed the flying coffin.
Imagine busting your ass to earn your USAF wings only to end up flying a modified crop duster. An OV-10 Bronco or even OV-1 Mohawk? Yes. An Ag Tractor? No thanks.
Is it me or do people fail to understand what this plane is used for. This is not for peer to peer it is for coin operations, and as for send in the A10s and Skiraiders, this thing can land on a rough airstrip, be serviced by a mechanic, rearmed by trained locals and be back in the air in 30min. The question should be why aren't these things replacing Ukraines aging helo fleet. If all I want to do is loft rockets and small diameter bombs from very low altitudes I would rather use this than a Mil8. Actually I would rather use a little bird. And if you use a Yak trainer 50km behind your lines with a guy with a shotgun to shoot down a Russian drone,this,a Tucano even a 1940s piston engine fighter would be better. But $40m
I knew it! I knew they would have to make a comeback (prop-driven monoplanes, maybe even biplanes). I see a lot of criticism in the comments section...but hear me out, these planes can be made harder to spot with lower thermal signature (which can be further reduced by heat screens) and stealth paint, and can provide CAS like nobody's business, literally close. and can be produced in much larger quantities. They can fly low and fast, and seek targets on their own.. faster than a helicopter, thus plugging the gap between helicopter and A-10. Modern jet fighters are ridiculously expensive for the payload and are high value targets. Shit this is WW3 fighter. P.S. and the pricing can go down with increasing production numbers. If airforce wants 5000 aircraft, the price per unit would go down.
Great platform for an unmanned, semi-autonomous, armed recon drone. Large and expensive for a drone, it would have all the features of the manned version, with greater payload/range. Pilots are too precious to waste unnecessarily.
While all who watch this, think this is just a cropduster(It's more than that), it's a cropduster with a kill count, before the Air Force ever bought it.
Turboprop. Thee is just no market for large radials today, even if you had access to the special fuel they need and could afford the maintenance. They offer no advantages over turboprops and have lots of disadvantages.
A1 sky raider aka sandy is what there trying to remake .. the OV10 is a awesome air frame . Most of them have been passed down for forest fire service much like the Chinook and AC 130 .the bronco would be fun to fly
It’s a crop duster!!! I cannot believe they went with this instead of a purpose built aircraft like the Tucano! This is an obvious end of year budget spend to ensure the same budget is secure for next year!!!
The airframe is the cheapest part of the system. The avionics and surveillance electronics are where the money goes, plus the missiles and other weaponry.
... It's a friggin' modilfied Crop Duster, hell, give me the A1E back in RVN days ... or transfer all A-10s into the USASOC ...its just another low down trick for the AF to cancel a true ground support aircraft ...
There are battles being fought across the world that still need the capabilities of these aircraft, especially if our carriers and fast jets are tied up in major conflicts.
It is something in between a drone, armoured crop duster and a slow moving aerial vehicle. Lets wait until proven in combat. There are more options: A-1H Skyraider, OA-37, OV-10D, OA-4M, A-29 Supertucano, T-6 Wolverine, etc...and the A-10.
All of those except the Super Tucano and Wolverine are long out of production and the tooling to build them no longer exists. Super Tucano is operated around the world by many countries. No one has bought the Wolverine except Thailand.
@@pablopeter3564 The AT-802 SkyWarden has already been proven in combat, doing it's exact mission, that it was designed for. It also did all of this BEFORE the USAF ever bought, or even thought about buying them.
Nice plane if your're up against other turbo props. Someone in the Pentagon never saw the scene in the movie "Final Countdown" where 2 F-14's ripped apart 2 Japanese Zeros after their carrier USS Nimitz was transported back in time to December 6, 1941.
When a Stuka and a crop duster love each other very much.
Or a cancelled ju187... halfway.
or just a modern sturmovik
Something like that!😂
The Stuka broke the back of the French Army during the battle of France
It was the only precision airborne weapons platform that could drop a bomb right through the roof of cars bringing French Army officers to the front
By decimating the French military command during and after the breakthrough at Sedan. The German army forced the BEF and the French Army in the Dyle pocket to retreat to Dunkirk
Then on the road to Paris in June, Stukas did their rinse dry repeat and forced the surrender on June 22nd 1940
You will not find a French military officer who rips on the Stukas, but for incomprehensible reason you find plenty in the United States
@@newelllondon724 A good point, but...
The French made a number of poor assumptions across the board about military technological advances in the inter-war years (tactical and strategic). The allies in general learned and adjusted tactics after the fall of France.
I would never question the effectiveness of the Stuka early in the war. However, it became easier prey from that point forward.
The A6M Zero was a terror at the start of the war. Not so much by the end. Old designs and tactics fall to the wayside as new designs take precedent. I don't really see your point.
Standard Mission profile. Take off, fly to target, strafe bad guys, fly over farm land, spray crops, return to base.
The bad guys are us. If you're unwilling to pay for more of these they will use them ON YOU🎉
Multimission capability
...and put out the odd brush fire too.
Just don't mix up which pod has the pesticide and which has the agent orange.
Yes except the "bad guys" are you.
They are literally talking about a THREE BILLION dollar contract for 75 of these. That's 40 million per plane. For a modified crop duster. Look, I know things cost money. But this is ridiculous.
I agree but maybe there's a lot more hi-tech than we know.
Yeah, but apparently all of us taxpayers have plenty of money.
More than hardpoints, this thing has a lot of EW gear. Meant to reduce the force multiplication available by modern comms which have proliferated to nearly all the world.
Agreed. This is absurdly overpriced
@@kevinblackburn3198 it's called nepotism.
The money doesn’t launder itself.
I saw the precursor to the Sky Warden back in 2000. Air tractor was supplying up armored crop dusters to the Colombians for spraying coca fields. They had Corsair blue paint, cockpit armor, and bullet resistant canopy glass. They were at the avionics shop in Fredricksberg, TX having GPS flaggers installed. It’s the heaviest lift single engine monoplane in production.
@@andrewdunagan4491 It's also seen action against the Houthis in Yemen, BEFORE the USAF even noticed it.
I think the Vietnam Era A-1 Skyraider would have been a better choice
It would, but they wore them out during Nam. At the end of the Vietnam war, there wasn't any more to bring out of mothballs .
You ever seen a crop duster work? These things can skim the ground like nothing else.
👍👍
Update the A-1 with a turbo prop, off the shelf modern avionics, and an ejection seat. Way more survivable than this hunk of junk.
I want mine with Huge Spats for each fixed wheel ! Oh and also a scary Siren to scare the crap out of everyone !
Me to a friend, many years ago: I think the U.S should go back to developing propeller based attack planes to ease the cost and keep the planes up in the air for a lot longer, and sell them at $10 million a plane.
The U.S: Great idea, let's buy that $500k crop duster for $40 million.
Someone's making a very huge profit margin out of this. The A-29 Super Tucano is $9-14 million USD each and A-10's cost $18 million. There's no way this costs $40 million 😂
The price also factors in maintenance, services for each plan provides by the civilian contractors over a set amount of years, probably 3-5. Also the company provides training and classes for the pilots. But yes, still overpriced.
One word is missing here.... KICKBACKS
I didn't know John Deere built airplanes. 😮😮😮
A Crop Duster over an A-29 Super Tacano ! Might as well build more A-10's
They fly very different roles at very different costs. A-10 was a flak sponge back in Desert Storm where I worked next to them at KKMC. This is 2024 not 1974.
@@Comm0ut
The A10 went into service March 1976, Desert Shield started in Aug 1990 and Desert Storm started January 17, 1991!
Not sure where you're getting your dates from!
I remember them all to well!👍
Amen!
Bring back the OV-10 Bronco. 2 engines are better than 1.
Or OV-1
Our gov't grounded a perfectly great OV-10 and spent 25 years and billions of dollars to replace it. They ended up with an A/C that is slower and not nearly as reliable.
Here Here Ov-10 ftw. Flex fuel, high payload, can carry cargo, dual engine for suitability. They were using the OV-10 as late as 2018! Battle proven arleady
@@MrCobb-rq8iv Not enough payload capacity, i think
@@MavHunter20XX VMO-2 was in the hangar next to us (VMCJ-1) at MAG-11 DaNang, in 1970. Great bunch of guys.
An Embraer Super TUCANO would be a more cost efficient alternative I think….
The "Made In America" Lobby probably got extra points for their platform.. Contracting 101
Brazil is not a stable partner. Nothing below the US/Mexico border is stable. Tucano is fine to hand to client nations who are going to lose them anyway, but not for long term US use.
@@Comm0ut Sure, you keep believing that. Because our cars and most home appliances aren't made south of the border....
@@Comm0ut 19 nations have either ordered or are already operating the Super Tucano. Sounds pretty stable to me.
What about the texan T6 ?
Oklahoma must be a hellscape to need these things.
Bru 💀💀
Nice Air Tractor
It's a "FARMALL" and should bear the name....
Critical error may be the in-line engine. Someone in the Pentagon was not familiar with the vulnerability of the P-51 Mustang in WWII ground attack role. If the engine took a hit, the plane was doomed. That's why the USAAF preferred the P-47 Thunderbolt with its air cooled radial engine in the ground attack role. The radial engine could take several hits and still fly.
The OV-10 Bronco has 2 engines and has thousands of hours of combat experience. BRING IT BACK!!
It’s a turboprop, not an inline engine.
This may be incredibly difficult to understand but this SOCOM bug smasher is not used in a fighter role. Other turboprop aircraft like Pilatus Porter do yeoman service in the roles it is intended for.
@@jamescook7713 I quite enjoyed working on them but it makes zero economic sense to retool (there is no tooling) to make an aircraft modern drones render obsolete.
Manned FAC/attack systems are helpless against MANPADS and, much worse, require CSAR to rescue downed aircrew. Aircrew should either be at home station or replaced by automated systems. Manned aircraft have absurd cost disadvantages over drones. These little shitboxes are for specialty work which doesn't justify new build manned airframes.
@@Comm0ut Reverse engineering is very easy. I'm retired Air Force. Egress section chief on the A-10. These single engine attack aircraft are jokes, like the A-29 Tucano at 6.5 MILLION dollars each. The "Sky Warden" has less operational value than most WW 2 fighter or attack aircraft did. Again, 2 engines are better than 1.
Prime example of government kickbacks.
I live only a few miles from Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson where the A10 was based and are now being decommissioned. The word is that the A29 Super Tuscano will replace the A10 in many missions. A few are already on base and the training has begun. It makes sense because it's faster than the flying tractor and more capable. It's a proven platform and has already been tested and found more than acceptable back in 2022 and 2023. The A29 is a superior platform in every way. Defense corruption is the only reason the flying tractor is around IMO.
It's a crop duster 😄😄
No. It’s not. 😅😅😅😅😅😅
@@ubroberts5541 Agreed. its an ~overpriced~ crop-duster. 🤣
It's a crop BRRRT
Dusty Crop hopper
4:34 why are you mumbling the engine's power numbers? Is it aluminum or titanium propellers? You contradicted yourself.
Civil disobedience
Gas sprayer
Man, the crop-duster trash talk in the comments is huge! This plane is definitely low and slow. There are not going to be many orders domestically for this plane. The rapid evolution of battlefield drone technology probably has superseded the practical affordability and successful use of this plane. Unless they discover it will make for a good affordable mid size drone interceptor.
@I7435IC the jet powered drones will probably give the air tractor some fits, but it should be able to catch many of the propeller driven drones. A limiting speed factor for propeller driven models is speeds are limited to speeds keeping the propeller blades from going supersonic. Very few planes operate with supersonic propeller blades. (It is done, but there are significant negative impacts.) an air tractor can operate at speeds up to about 245 mph, even though most of the time it’s running around in the 150 to 200 mph range. Most of the current one way drones being used in Ukraine operate at speeds less than 75 to about 140 mph. And I bet if they wanted to, they could tweak the air tractor to reach speeds approaching 300 mph without too much trouble with current off the shelf parts.
then even more insane giving 40 mill per plane
Not really affordable
I make it point to never purchase anything from the companies that post these annoying ads during these RUclips videos
If we’re buying these, we should definitely not be cancelling the A-10 at the same time.
They have nothing in common. Why do people who haven't a clue about either system have opinions?
Firstly your comment is completely illogical. If we're building the replacement to the attend that means we should keep building the A10! This makes no sense. And secondly the 810 hasn't been built in decades that are none being built zero none middle they will never be another one built ever.
Because A10 have big gun and big gun go boom boom boom boom boom boom boom
We should just cancel the A-10 period, regardless of the existence of this....thing. The A-10 is an antique and should've been confined to the dustbin of history after the 1st gulf war
This would make a good anti drone fighter with the right weapons and targeting configuration
Hilarious listening to the narrator be all serious about an Air Tractor painted grey and weapons bolted to it....
Well they’ve been dropping stuff on stuff for quite a few years now.
Killed a lotta bugs. 👍
Should we call it a tecknical??
@@speavyno it can't be, it's not a Toyota!
@@Paul-b2s4j OW... *ZING*.
It's pathetic clickbait for military illiterates. Check the wetodation level in the comments for proof.
Wonder how this craft fairs against drug lords or insurgents with MANPADS?
Without a suitable 0:56 0:57 ew pod.this plane is toasted!
Low infrared emissions
@@Sid-jx4gl yep
It has EW pods
Fares.
the neat thing is the guard can use them as crop dusters on the weekend.
I think drones have already made this obsolete
I think it would be a good anti drone fighter
@@Sid-jx4gl Anti-Drone ~target~...
Not really. There are drone scrambling countermeasure now.
SuperTucanos are better and cheaper, I suppose that senators received generous "donations".
That's an AIR TRACKER used fur dustin crops! SO fun to what those barn stormers dust crops, amazing agility.
😂😂 yes it is
These were doing “test runs” off the east coast of CT/NY - going totally silent on approach/fly over and then you hear it again after passing “target” zone I guess
Looks like a Air Tractor. That's a pretty large add on. Mr Patey sure likes his new airport and house. No question he is a remarkably talented engineer but $40 mill a copy, that is a lot of $$$$$$.
my son is a usaf ltc and special operations senior-rated pilot. he helped evaluate the skywarden when it still a crop duster several years ago over several months in waco tx. his verdict: totally unsuitable, exceedingly cramped cockpit, not fully ifr, tail landing gear, designed to be a suitable, guess what, crop duster. his recommendation: the operationally proven super tucano. pentagon leadership is our own worst enemy.
the super tucano is build from an brazilian company, this is a hard no for the US
@@herpaderppa3297 brazilian design. usaf-purchased super tucanos for former afghan af and usaf socom are built under license in jacksonville fl.
@@jtns2845 still a hard no
@@herpaderppa3297 you might try to talk with actual usaf special operations pilots before making a judgment based on xenophobia.
@@jtns2845 It's not xenophobia. How will you sell to the people and decision makers that the plane they should risk their lifes in is not American. Because it's cheaper? Not going to happen. If this would be the case you guys would fly the European tanker which is clearly superior to what was selected.
next-generation T-6C Texan II military flight trainer aircraft (previously Hawker Beechcraft) is an enhanced version of the primary aircraft training system T-6B Texan II. It’s a Textron Aviation brand, Beechcraft. Its in the usaf inventory now.
will they add on some of those noise making devices for when it goes into a dive?
Hell yeah. I’ve been flying crop dusters for 30 years. Bout time they get outta the fields and get on with the something, something in the battle field!!!
It's a nice toy compared to the A10, but may be useful in for crowd control in the USA.
Cool, thats right down the street 🙂
I look forward to seeing it in the air.
I totally agree this military contract is corrupt and put lives at risk
You Will Comply
How does this plane compares with the Super Tucano?
Air Force chose this one over the Brazilian Super Tucano?!
And…. [dramatic music]… it’s a crop duster!
I'm sure it's fun to fly. Reminds me of the crop dusters.
Crop duster technology is amazing. Weapons systems because of it's heavy load capacity worked great in Ukraine and now everyone wants one. Funny the first was a standard duster loaded with jet fuel and a rear firing flare gun. Flying fire ball truly became one tracer round would defeat it.
I can't believe this. Is this for real or a joke? I think the Air Force would be better off with an upgraded OV Bronco or even an Argentinian Pucara.
It won't win a beauty contest that's for sure, let's just hope it's up to the job. Plus when not on combat missions they can hire out to local Farmers for crop dusting duties.
Thought the Air Force hated propeller driven airplanes.
what do you think most drones are???
@@rangerrick2246 Props on drones are just fine because pilots don't have to demean themselves by strapping in.
@@53kenner Laugh when the first quadcopter takes one down... unless they try to remote this piece of crap.
300+ C-130 Hercules, 200+ MQ-9 Reapers, 300+ T-6 Texans, dozens of C-12, CV-22, T-53, C-146 ....probably the biggest propeller driven fixed wing aircraft operator in the world.
In some circumstances old and slow does the job better than new,fast and shiny. This is why the Marine Corps STILL uses the Browning M2 " Ma Duece 50 " .50 cal. HMG. Even though it is over 70 years old. For what it does nothing newer does it better.
Perfect for a zombie apocalypse.
This in place of the A-10????????????????????????????????????????????
Explain to us what the Oklahoma National Guard needs this sort of attack aircraft for it would seem to be most suited for guerrilla warfare
Didn't watch the video did you? It's the special forces training squadron
@@kdrapertrucker special forces for What in Oklahoma?
@@terrific804 What?
@@martingrof1685 what?
@@terrific804 Special Forces do training outside of combat. National guard exists for national defence. It makes sense for the national guard to update its equipment?
Used to watch the crop sprayers back in 1976 in the then Transvaal and always thought they have potential. Just turbo it and change some dispersing nozzles for different applications. Think I was right
A crop duster with weapons and armor. Finding a unprepared target is all it needs. At least it gives guys training on the weapons operating.
That's what I thought. They armed an Air Tractor? If there are any armed boll weevils in the world, they're in trouble. 😁
@@theycallmehoipilloi5495 Their pilots can get the turbine time while at it and that's what airlines like to use for hiring since insurance companies make that as one of the stipulations.
When I first looked at this aircraft about fourteen years ago, I thought pretty much the same as you. But with A-10s dying of old age, this Ag plane may fill a number of needs over the jungles and deserts of the world.
Being an air tractor crop duster. Will it be loaded with sarin as well?
repurposed crop duster
Look at you, all smart and stuff.
Yep
Like it's a bad thing
I'm sorry, but that won't last long in combat.
What kind of combat do you think it would be used for? If you're thinking about an intense shooting war like Ukraine and Russia, you're probably right. But I doubt this will be used in that kind of war.
40 million for a crop duster!!
Should have kept the combat tested and proven OV-10
25 years too late. Good job, guys.
That is a Skytractor AT 802 if I have ever seen one! Usually yellow.
Total BS. This is a civilian aircraft made by Air Tractor Company out of Olney TX. It has no connection to the National Guard. It pulls those aerial banners you see over outdoor sporting events. Look up the plane's N number on the FAA database. Most of the images presented are heavily edited with AI, including every image that shows weapons under the aircraft.
I still think they should have upgraded the OV-10, and restarted production. There's just something about having 2 engines, and some rear cargo capacity that makes sense.
AGREED. Could upgrade the engines, glass-cockpit... it would be MUCH better (seriously, it would)
Agree 100%. USAF retired.
@@WhiteWolf65 It would also be MUCH more expensive (seriously, it would) ;)
So what about in-flight refueling?
This is genius Air Tractor put weapons bays on crop duster inflated the price by millions and sold it to the US Airforce as replacement for the A10!!! Remember the Sky raiders were retired because they could not fly in a contested area, they were sturdier and carried more weight. In a battlefield full of man pads, this slow low flying plane will be dubbed the flying coffin.
Just one question?
Who is the target enemy?
One more in slipers?
wow we went from drones war right back to WWI planes
Coming to your neighborhood this fall
Imagine busting your ass to earn your USAF wings only to end up flying a modified crop duster. An OV-10 Bronco or even OV-1 Mohawk? Yes. An Ag Tractor? No thanks.
I Grow up with The OV - 10 & AE -1
I don't see how that canape facilitates any observation .
Reincarnated JU-87 Stuka?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂 Der Ju 87 würde besser sein
Nah, this thing isn't going to do much dive bombing.
PZL M 18 Dromader
Is it me or do people fail to understand what this plane is used for. This is not for peer to peer it is for coin operations, and as for send in the A10s and Skiraiders, this thing can land on a rough airstrip, be serviced by a mechanic, rearmed by trained locals and be back in the air in 30min. The question should be why aren't these things replacing Ukraines aging helo fleet. If all I want to do is loft rockets and small diameter bombs from very low altitudes I would rather use this than a Mil8. Actually I would rather use a little bird. And if you use a Yak trainer 50km behind your lines with a guy with a shotgun to shoot down a Russian drone,this,a Tucano even a 1940s piston engine fighter would be better. But $40m
This can't be used in real combat situations like Ukraine. There's thousands of manpads there and this is an easy target, big hot engine, slow flying.
Really not to worried about Ukraine
I knew it! I knew they would have to make a comeback (prop-driven monoplanes, maybe even biplanes). I see a lot of criticism in the comments section...but hear me out, these planes can be made harder to spot with lower thermal signature (which can be further reduced by heat screens) and stealth paint, and can provide CAS like nobody's business, literally close. and can be produced in much larger quantities. They can fly low and fast, and seek targets on their own.. faster than a helicopter, thus plugging the gap between helicopter and A-10.
Modern jet fighters are ridiculously expensive for the payload and are high value targets.
Shit this is WW3 fighter.
P.S. and the pricing can go down with increasing production numbers. If airforce wants 5000 aircraft, the price per unit would go down.
This should scare every American citizen.
Great platform for an unmanned, semi-autonomous, armed recon drone. Large and expensive for a drone, it would have all the features of the manned version, with greater payload/range. Pilots are too precious to waste unnecessarily.
While all who watch this, think this is just a cropduster(It's more than that), it's a cropduster with a kill count, before the Air Force ever bought it.
Is this thing liquid cooled or turbo prop! I thought radial engines were the best for ground attack? Can someone explain?
Turboprop. Thee is just no market for large radials today, even if you had access to the special fuel they need and could afford the maintenance. They offer no advantages over turboprops and have lots of disadvantages.
we going backwards in technology
What's wrong with upgrading the OV10 Bronco ?
A1 sky raider aka sandy is what there trying to remake .. the OV10 is a awesome air frame . Most of them have been passed down for forest fire service much like the Chinook and AC 130 .the bronco would be fun to fly
They should have just brought back the Douglas Skyraider.
The Sky Warden isn’t really designed to drop a lot of bombs. More like targeting pods and Hellfire missiles.
I’ve been saying this since 2001
Agreed.
I defy you to articulate a modern mission case justifying that. "It looks cool" is not one.
Even if it were possible, would cost a lot more to do (and who builds those kind of engines anymore?).
You did not give its ceiling nor tell us how one ejects from the plane without being hit by the back wings ?????????
That's what i thought it's a crop duster and I'm just an old Army grunt.
It’s a crop duster!!! I cannot believe they went with this instead of a purpose built aircraft like the Tucano! This is an obvious end of year budget spend to ensure the same budget is secure for next year!!!
When BLACKWATER has surplus
@4:xx first titanium prop then alu?
The airframe is the cheapest part of the system. The avionics and surveillance electronics are where the money goes, plus the missiles and other weaponry.
... It's a friggin' modilfied Crop Duster, hell, give me the A1E back in RVN days ... or transfer all A-10s into the USASOC ...its just another low down trick for the AF to cancel a true ground support aircraft ...
They’re making those down in Mooresville, North Carolina
AT8 on off days can be crop duster
It is disturbing that the USAF is procuring COIN aircraft in an era of peer on peer tensions. What is the purpose?
My guess is cheaper to operate than the A-10 and good along the southern border to loiter
There's always going to be counter-insurgency just like there's always going to be near peer. Have to prepare for both.
$15M crop duster.
The military industrial complex.@@bryonslatten3147
There are battles being fought across the world that still need the capabilities of these aircraft, especially if our carriers and fast jets are tied up in major conflicts.
Should have asked Elon Musk or palmer luckey to design one for a fraction of that cost
a pity they didn’t move forward with the OV-10X proposal. A modernised Bronco is way more versatile
Isn’t that an Agcat crop duster?
It is something in between a drone, armoured crop duster and a slow moving aerial vehicle. Lets wait until proven in combat. There are more options: A-1H Skyraider, OA-37, OV-10D, OA-4M, A-29 Supertucano, T-6 Wolverine, etc...and the A-10.
I’m not waiting when We all know what’s gonna happen
I'd vote either DragonFly or Bronco, or BOTH. The OV-10D was a night-witch for sure. Night-vision-linked 20mm cannon? OW.
All of those except the Super Tucano and Wolverine are long out of production and the tooling to build them no longer exists. Super Tucano is operated around the world by many countries. No one has bought the Wolverine except Thailand.
@@pablopeter3564 The AT-802 SkyWarden has already been proven in combat, doing it's exact mission, that it was designed for. It also did all of this BEFORE the USAF ever bought, or even thought about buying them.
Just rebuild the P-51 with updated avionics save millions as they rebuilt them as the Cavalier in the 70's.
Take a look at Turbo Mustang III/PA-48 Enforcer from decades ago. This would actually cost much more than what they're doing here.
I'm going to guarantee this will not replace the A-10, to fragile
The miltary will save that in fuel over the lifetime of the fleet compared to A10"s along with maintenance costs.
it can't be as survivable as the a-10. Smaller gun too
Nice plane if your're up against other turbo props. Someone in the Pentagon never saw the scene in the movie "Final Countdown" where 2 F-14's ripped apart 2 Japanese Zeros after their carrier USS Nimitz was transported back in time to December 6, 1941.