Pentagon Budget Again Revives Light-Attack Aircraft Acquisition

light-attack aircraft
Previous attempts to procure a light-attack aircraft have yielded only U.S.-funded acquisitions for other countries, such as the Afghan Air Force A-29 (pictured), but under the Armed Overwatch program it appears a lightly armed observation aircraft finally will be delivered to support U.S. special forces.
Credit: Eydie Sakura/U.S. Air Force
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has revived hopes for acquiring a light-attack aircraft fleet only a year after the Air Force abandoned a previous attempt. The Defense Department’s fiscal 2021 budget request includes $106 million for SOCOM to acquire the first five of potentially 76 light...

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