The Bronco II light attack and surveillance aircraft is being put forward for the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Armed Overwatch programme, it was revealed on 4 May.
Leidos is taking the position of prime contractor for the bid, with Paramount Group USA and Vertex Aerospace supporting the bid of the aircraft for the programme. Vertex Aerospace, formerly a business unit of L3 Technologies (now L3Harris), offers a variety of maintenance, through-life support, aerostructures fabrication, and aircraft integration services.
A concept-drawing of the Paramount Group Bronco II, which is being pitched for the US SOCOM armed overwatch requirement. Leidos has been named as the prime contractor for the bid. (Bronco Combat Systems)
Additional partners for the platform include Leonardo DRS, Dynetics, Beast Code, Fulcrum Concepts, and Concord XXI aviation flight training.
Should the aircraft be selected, the consortium plans to manufacture it at a facility in Crestview, Florida, as part of efforts to maintain the ‘Buy American, Build American’ requirements of the US government’s procurement strategy.
The Bronco II has six underwing hardpoints and two optional belly hardpoints, and is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66B turboprop engine. The aircraft has an endurance of more than 6.5 hours and a maximum range of 2,000 nautical miles including external fuel tanks.
Most notably, the aircraft comes with a mission module that fits under the cockpit. The module, which has a capacity of 1,764 lbs and volume of 53 ft³, can be used to accommodate a range of payloads including additional EO/IR sensors, signals intelligence or electronics intelligence payloads, medical supplies, a fuel drum, resupply packages, or an aerial resupply capability. The company claims the module can be reconfigured in less than two hours.
Paramount Group officials had previously told Jane’s
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