The demand for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) armed overwatch is growing across fourth- and fifth-generation fighter fleets worldwide. L3Harris’ SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL™ serves as a strategic asset to these fleets, maximizing fleet effectiveness by reducing operational costs, bridging mission gaps and preserving fighter readiness.
Lowering Costs Without Sacrificing Capability
Offloading routine missions from fighters to the SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL can save fighter fleets between $20,000 and $40,000 per flight hour, allowing commanders to fly more while spending less. The aircraft requires only two mechanics, and fighter pilots can be dual-qualified on the aircraft, making integration into fighter fleets as simple as adding a second aircraft.
Closing Mission Gaps
SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL bridges the mission gap that exists when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is not sufficient and a fighter's capabilities exceed mission requirements. The ISR and light strike aircraft provides more airpower than a UAV, and enables human decision authority and persistent armed presence for immediate precision response without consuming fighter capacity. A mixed-fleet solution allows fighter operators to remain focused on air defense missions that require rapid response, advanced training and high-end strike. This approach does not replace fighter aircraft. Instead, it preserves flight hours and cycles, extending the lifespan by years and making the total force more effective.
Preserving Fighter Readiness
Every hour a fighter spends on routine persistence missions is an hour that fighter is unavailable for deterrence or defense. SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL's armed ISR capabilities provide continual presence for missions such as counter-smuggling and small-target precision strike that do not require fighter performance. When the aircraft absorbs non-fighter missions, it reduces airframe fatigue, engine and landing cycles, avionics wear, maintenance demand, required manpower and low-value sortie turnover across the fighter fleet.
The L3Harris Advantage
Designed to operate from remote locations and unimproved runways, SKY RAIDER II INTERNATIONAL provides up to eight hours of endurance and 6,000 pounds of payload capacity across 11 hard points for extended operations. Its integrated cockpit combines flight and mission systems in a single display to reduce operator workload and fatigue while accelerating decision-making. The platform's modular design can seamlessly integrate L3Harris capabilities, including the Red Wolf™ kinetic launched effects for long-range precision strike, and the Green Wolf electronic warfare electronic warfare, electronic attack and electronic support capability that delivers extended loiter capability of five hours with a 250 nautical mile combat radius. L3Harris' WESCAM® MX®-Series electro-optical/infrared sensor systems offer additional surveillance, target acquisition and designation in medium-to-high altitude combat.
