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L3Harris, IAI Team Up to Offer ‘Blue Sky Warden’ for Israel’s Light-Attack Aircraft Program

Selection would see IAI install an open-architecture mission computer, with flight testing under its lead.

The L3Harris Sky Warden. (Image credit: L3Harris)
Officials from L3Harris and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) during the signing of the MoU. Credit: L3Harris Technologies, Inc/Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Overview

  • The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to pitch a locally tailored Sky Warden variant, dubbed Blue Sky Warden, for Israel’s Light-Attack Aircraft effort.
  • IAI’s mission systems would be integrated through an IAI-developed open-architecture computer designed to host Israeli software and specialised capabilities.
  • If chosen, IAI would supply and integrate mission equipment, lead airworthiness campaigns and conduct flight tests with the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli Air Force.
  • Sky Warden is the commercial version of the OA-1K Skyraider II based on the Air Tractor AT-802U, a rugged turboprop built for long endurance and operations from short or unimproved runways.
  • The proposal targets persistent ISR and affordable precision engagement in permissive environments, with production and testing planned in cooperation with Israel’s defense establishment and no acquisition quantity disclosed.