L3Harris Technologies and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly pursue the Israeli Light-Attack Aircraft programme with L3Harris’ Sky Warden aircraft.
The MoU, announced by L3Harris on 15 October 2025, establishes an integrated team that will combine the Sky Warden – a low-cost, high-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft derived from the Air Tractor AT-802U platform – with IAI’s proven systems.
As part of their agreement the L3Harris/IAI team will produce a unique Israeli configuration of the aircraft, called the Blue Sky Warden, that will include an IAI open-architecture mission computer to host Israeli-specific software and special capabilities. IAI will also supply and integrate its mission equipment and lead flight tests and airworthiness campaigns with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Israeli Air Force.
“We are excited to collaborate on this important programme with L3Harris: a longstanding and trusted partner with whom we have successful partnerships on several fronts,” Boaz Levy, president and CEO of IAI, was quoted as saying in an L3Harris press release. “By combining IAI’s cutting-edge systems and expertise in mission systems integration with L3Harris’ Sky Warden platform, we are delivering a tailored solution that meets the evolving needs of the Ministry of Defense and Israeli Air Force.”
“This strategic partnership with IAI allows us to provide a tailored variant of our Sky Warden to meet Israel’s operational and industrial needs,” added Jon Rambeau, president of Integrated Mission Systems for L3Harris. “The Sky Warden light attack aircraft delivers the best-in-class endurance, payload and survivability needed for airborne ISR and other missions.”
Sky Warden is L3Harris’ designation for the OA-1K Skyraider II aircraft that the company is producing and delivering to US Special Operations Command as part of the Skyraider II programme.
The Air Tractor AT-802 was originally developed as an agricultural aircraft, but its ruggedness and reliability has also seen it converted into a firefighting platform and a light strike/ISR aircraft.
