USAF's Oklahoma ANG will receive first Sky Wardens
On 9 December 2022, Oklahoma's Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, situated near Oklahoma City, was selected as the sole candidate to replace its Beech MC-12Ws with the new Air Tractor / L3 Harris AT-802U Sky Warden.
At Will Rogers ANGB a Sky Warden Formal Training Unit (FTU) will replace the MC-12W Liberty FTU under auspices of the 137th Special Operations Wing. It is expected that the 137th SOW at Will Rogers will receive 28 AT-802Us and about 80 personnel to support the mission of the 310th Special Operations Squadron. The latter squadron, now operating the Pilatus U-28A Draco, will soon relocate from Cannon AFB (NM) to Oklahoma creating an active association with the already based 185th SOS.
In August 2022, Scramble Magazine outlined a possible basing of the Sky Warden at some Florida Air Force Bases. With the planned 28 aircraft based at Will Rogers, there is the possibility that the remaining aircraft (some 47), will be divided over two operational squadrons.
The AT-802U Sky Warden is a multi-role platform capable of Close Air Support (CAS), armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and precision strike missions in support of geographically isolated Special Operations Forces (SOF).
A site survey at the Oklahoma candidate location is scheduled in spring 2023 and will assess operational requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure and manpower. Once the site survey is complete, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) will conduct an environmental impact analysis, which is expected to be complete in fall 2023, before a final basing decision is made.
Scramble Magazine is still looking for the USAF aircraft designation for the Sky Warden. If you have information, please let us know at
Photo via L3 Harris