Correct.
There were just two, and upgrades to them about $10 million apiece. 'Combat Dragon II' was a program or Limited Objective Experiment to demonstrate the possible use of small, cheap (relatively) turboprop-powered aircraft in specific special combat circumstances. 'Imminent Fury' another such program that used an A-29B Super Tucano.
Supported by General McChrystal earlier in Afghanistan and later by General Mattis when these two aircraft were deployed to Syria, the idea was to promote inexpensive, simple, nimble combat aircraft capable of long loiter time for on-call reconnaissance and attack duty.
Capable of operating from rough strips, and able to deliver precision ordnance using the latest technology such as electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser-guided munitions like Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II), a 70 millimeter rocket with a laser seeker and control section, encrypted radios and night-vision gear, data-links, multiple sat-com systems and defensive countermeasures. There were Scorpion helmet-mounted displays for both crew, and a centerline fuel tank giving them an average mission time of between three and four hours for the spec-op sorties they were tasked with supporting.
These two were involved in Inherent Resolve and proved to be deadly. Flying some 120 sorties over 82 days they had 99% mission availability. Their MX-15HD FLIR turret and big high-definition display in the cockpit made for highly accurate precision strike platforms and the laser-guided rockets could be fired from a variety of ranges and angles with the ability of take out enemy personnel or lightly armored vehicles under circumstances that no other guided munition could without significant collateral damage.
Their Navy pilots were hand picked weapons school instructors, the WSO’s (Weapon System Officers) with previous spec-ops JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controllers) experience. These highly experienced personnel had unique insight into spec-ops ground operations and most appropriate application air power to get specific results. With just a single ground engineer for each aircraft, ability to self deploy to bare bones facilities at a moments notice they had unparralelled operational flexibility.
Proof of concept vehicles that ticked many boxes and available at the right time, it was a seriously successful swan-song for a fairly iconic aircraft that I first saw in the US when I went there just after the end of the Vienam war.
I know and I’ve always like the Bronco.
However, you can upgrade aircraft such as these as much as you want. However, they can’t operate where the Syrians and Russian SAMs and fighters were. The A-10 was also limited what airspace it could operate in (as it was in GW1 and the Balkans) for similar reasons.
I would agree however that in many respects, an upgraded OV-10 would be of more use than the AT-6C and Super Tucanos being evaluated for the Light Attack requirement.
Regards,
MM