What Happened
Air Force Special Operations Command Advances Rapid Disassembly
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) will begin testing the rapid breakdown disassembly and reassembly capability for the OA-1K Skyraider II aircraft in an operational environment later this year. The capability allows airmen to take apart and put back together the Skyraiders in a matter of hours, providing an advantage over adversaries and enabling persistent presence at low cost. The Skyraiders have three main mission sets, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, and precision strike operations. AFSOC has received 18 aircraft so far and expects a handful more by the end of this fiscal year, with the goal of eventually receiving 75 Skyraiders throughout the aircraft’s program of record. The news was first reported by Breaking Defense.