Meet the Bronco II prototype
Photo: Robert Bigando, Hamilton & Sons
The Leidos Bronco II, a multi-mission plane loosely descended from the Vietnam War-era OV-10 Bronco, recently advanced to the next phase of the Department of Defense's Armed Overwatch competition.
Aircraft specs: Bronco II is built to meet the need for versatility in the next generation of special operations aircraft. It is designed with a clean sheet approach for special ops missions, making it more effective in many cases than a reconfigured or repurposed aircraft, according to Leidos Vice President and Division Manager Micah Stauffer.
- Bronco II has six underwing stations, numerous mounting points and an interchangeable module in its belly, which means it can easily equip for a wide range of missions that typically require separate planes.
- Its small footprint is designed for long-haul transport, which means it fits in a 40-foot shipping container on a C-130 Hercules. Two of them fit in a C-17 Globemaster. It can be reassembled and ready to fly in less than 12 hours.
- It’s easy to land and safe to taxi in tight spaces, and has an incredible field of view for its air crew and sensors, according to Johnny Alvarez, a Leidos expert and former special ops pilot.
From the source: “The Bronco II is a 21st century digitally engineered aircraft, purpose-built for the future of special operations combat support,” Alvarez said. “Its modern digital design also makes it suitable for many other missions.”
If approved and selected for military use, Leidos would expect to manufacture a Bronco II fleet in Crestview, Florida over the next several years. Bronco II is a technical collaboration between Leidos and subcontractors Paramount Group USA and Vertex Aerospace.
Please contact the Leidos media relations team for more.
* Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended January 1, 2021, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
