O-2s have a slight issue...
AVGAS. No longer a commodity in the US logistics inventory. If one were to go the route of adapting an exisitng airframe then the AU-23A Peacemaker would be a good choioce. Basically it's the armed version of the Pilatus PC-6/C Turbo-Porter. Stall speed is 52kts with the laundry hung out! :eek:
And it uses JP.
OK, back to Blackwater....
Now back to the Blackwater thing. All of the Aircraft we have listed would have of better cost to quality ratio. Right? Atleast for what they need in thier so called support ( COIN ops). Why would a company with that many problems want to get involved in COIN operations anyway? OK.... I won't go there 'cause I like Blackwater and when your on top I guess everyone tries to knock you down. Not to mention the "other types of militaries" that mess up as well, we can only be fair and not criticize.
Anyway, I think that for support our forementioned aircraft would be fine for what they need and cost savings. They already have numerouse rotorcraft and there are alot of professional soldiers that have been in small, poorer countries and have established themselves with those governments. Sure there planes might be old birds, but they are established. I'm just curiouse.
Really I'm wondering why they would want a larger SOF company and how all this works. It seems the days of the small time SOFer are coming to an end. Are the days of the AVG gone?