After Morocco’s C-130s, L3Harris is bringing a new military aircraft to Marrakech

L3Harris has listed the SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL among the main capabilities it will present at the Marrakech Air Show, held from 7 to 10 October at the Royal Air Force base. The American group will also showcase its C-130 solutions, intelligence aircraft and ISR systems there, according to its official page dedicated to the show.

The group’s presence in Marrakech comes as L3Harris is already working directly with the Moroccan military. The American company is modernizing several C-130H aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Force at its facilities in Waco, Texas. Inspection of the first aircraft has been completed, while a second is expected to join the program this autumn and a third before the end of the year.

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The new aircraft being showcased in Marrakech belongs to an entirely different category. Formerly marketed under the name Sky Warden, the SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL is derived from the Air Tractor AT-802 and intended for foreign armed forces. Its American counterpart, the OA-1K Skyraider II, equips the US Air Force Special Operations Forces.

An armed aircraft for missions where the F-16 is too expensive

L3Harris presents the aircraft as an intermediate solution between a drone and a fighter jet. It can carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, provide air support to troops on the ground and deploy precision weapons.

According to L3Harris, transferring certain missions from a fighter to this aircraft could save between 20,000 and 40,000 dollars per flight hour. The manufacturer also claims that only two mechanics are required for its operational support.

The aircraft can remain on a mission for five hours at approximately 460 kilometers from its base, carry sensors and weapons, and operate from rough airstrips. L3Harris particularly highlights its use for border surveillance and counter-drone operations, in addition to strike and intelligence missions.

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The American group is thus seeking to position the SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL as a complement to fourth- and fifth-generation fighter fleets. Morocco, which is currently strengthening its air capabilities and simultaneously extending the operational life of its C-130s, provides the manufacturer with a particularly strategic showcase in Marrakech.