MC-208 Guardian Progresses to Next Phase of Armed Overwatch Aircraft Competition

The MC-208 Guardian from MAG Aerospace has progressed to Phase 3 of the United States Special Operations Command’s Armed Overwatch effort, in search of new aircraft for the U.S. Armed Forces By DA Staff / 21 Jun 2021

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The MC-208 Guardian multi-role aircraft from MAG Aerospace has been selected as one of only 5 remaining competitors to become the United States Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) new Armed Overwatch aircraft.

The MC-208 Guardian capabilities are built on the well-established Cessna Caravan, offering the reliability of a pre-existing global supply chain and true multi-mission capability. 

The MC-208 Guardian is capable of performing aerial surveillance, close air support, casualty and medical evacuations, air mobility, and precision strike all in one mission without the need for reconfiguration, eliminating the need to deploy and operate multiple aircraft.

“Today’s warfighter is constantly being asked to do more with less and will continue to operate in budget constrained environments that demand resource prioritization. This was the problem we wanted the MC-208 Guardian to address,” said Joe Fluet, MAG Aerospace CEO. 

“We created an aircraft that is readily available with an open architecture specifically designed to minimize the strain on maintainer and pilot pipelines all while being affordable, versatile, and deployable.”

The aircraft boasts a 98 percent availability rate, very low cost-per-flight-hour, robust communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, fully integrated and proven weapons systems, endurance, mobility, and survivability.

The MC-208 Guardian is a production-ready solution for the Armed Overwatch program. It is a proven platform that excels in austere environments offering the flexibility required to perform multiple missions in a single sortie. 

Variants of the MC-208 Guardian’s multi-role platform have been delivered and are in operation worldwide.

Posted by DA Staff Connect & Contact

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