The OA-8 "Longsword" is one of many capable aircraft designs currently competing for the Close Air Support (CAS) role of various countries. The aircraft is based on the American Air Tractor AT-802 (detailed elsewhere on this site), modified by L-3 Technologies for the CAS role and debuting during Avalon Airshow 2017 (Australia). The design pairs the established Air Tractor agricultural / fire-fighting airframe with modern technologies and ordnance delivery capabilities to suit ongoing over-battlefield needs. The AT-802 is a globally popular aircraft in civilian market sectors and sees operations from Argentina and Brazil to Kenya and Indonesia.
The aircraft, in its CAS role, seats two personnel in tandem under a heavily framed canopy and within an armored cockpit due to the low-altitude flight envelopes at play in the CAS role. The cockpit is set well-aft of the long-running nose and, at the nose, is a five-bladed propeller unit powered by a Pratt & Whitney engine installation. The tail unit is of a conventional single-finned arrangement. The wing mainplanes are set low and each sports multiple hardpoints. An additional hard point pairing is seen under the belly and an optics set is fitted under the nose. The undercarriage is fixed and wheeled ("tail dragger" configuration).
Supported armament will run the gamut of widely-used munitions and ordnance options including gun pods, cannon pods, rocket pods (unguided rockets), and conventional drop bombs (smart and dumb). Armament load outs can capacity reach 6,200lb.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
Length
35.9 ft (10.95 m)
Width/Span
59.2 ft (18.05 m)
Height
12.8 ft (3.90 m)
Empty Wgt
6,614 lb (3,000 kg)
MTOW
16,535 lb (7,500 kg)
Wgt Diff
+9,921 lb (+4,500 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Air Tractor OA-8 Longsword production variant)
Installed:
1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine developing up to 1,940 horsepower and driving a five-bladed propeller at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Air Tractor OA-8 Longsword production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
Up to 6,200lb of stores carried including cannon pods, conventional drop bombs and rocket pods.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 10
OA-8 "Longsword" - Base Series Designation
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