TAMPA, Fla. —
During the annual Special Operations Forces Week conference, Air Force Special Operations Command unveiled a unique capability of its OA-1K Skyraider II.
To fulfill rapid deployment requirements and further provide expeditionary agility, AFSOC’s newest platform, the Skyraider II, is capable of rapid break-down disassembly and reassembly. In this broken-down state, one or several Skyraider IIs can be loaded onto a larger aircraft and moved during strategic airlift to a new location, overcoming the tyranny of distance. Upon arrival at its destination, crews can quickly configure the aircraft to a flyable operational condition.
“This capability is right in line with our vision of the versatility the OA-1K and its crews will provide to our teammates,” said Lt. Gen. Mike Conley, AFSOC commander. “The OA-1K offers a unique and modular solution for a wide range of operations, including armed overwatch, at a fraction of a cost of other platforms.”
The OA-1K was designed to be adaptable across mission requirements, whether it be close air support, precision strike, or armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
“SOF teams will value the Skyraider II’s ability to operate alongside them in austere environments,” said Conley. “Whether you need an OA-1K to find, fix, target, or engage directly, it will adapt to the requirements of the mission at hand.”
AFSOC will have an OA-1K static present at this year’s SOF Week conference. SOF Week is an annual, week-long conference that brings together the international SOF community, industry partners and leaders across U.S. Special Operations Command.
While at SOF Week, AFSOC leaders will engage with key stakeholders that will utilize the Skyraider II in the future, while strengthening strategic partnerships across the SOF enterprise to accelerate collective modernization.
The first missionized OA-1K was delivered to AFSOC on April 3, 2025. Since then, formal training has been anchored at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma, where operators are refining the platform’s specialized capabilities, including its rapid deployment advantage.
“The rapid disassembly and reassembly means, in a matter of hours, the aircraft can be loaded into mobility aircraft like a C-5 or C-17 for worldwide deployment,” said Lt. Col. Robert Wilson, AFSOC’s Armed Overwatch requirements branch chief. “With the OA-1K ‘any place, any time, anywhere’ is not just a motto, but an actual capability.”
ASFOC will continue to validate this capability in upcoming operational tests and during regularly scheduled exercises. The flexibility offered to the commanders employing the OA-1K ensures they always have dedicated overwatch while operating in non-permissive environments.
Air Force Special Operations Command
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