North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco

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The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin-turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control (FAC) aircraft. It can carry up to three tons of external munitions, internal loads such as paratroopers or stretchers, and loiter for three or more hours.

Variants[edit | edit source]

  • YOV-10A: Seven prototype NA-300s with two 600 shp T76-G-6/8 engines, last one was flown with YT74-P-1 engines.
  • OV-10A: Original production version with enlarged wing and 715 shp T76-G-10/12 engines. Distinguished by a long-wire HF antenna between the center rear stabilizer and the central nacelle, 114 for the United States Marine Corps and 157 for the United States Air Force.
  • OV-10B: Target towing variant for Germany, with a target towing pod mounted beneath the fuselage. A clear dome replaced the rear cargo door. The rear seat was moved to the cargo bay to look backwards out the dome, 18 built; known as the OV-10B(Z) when fitted with an additional J85-GE-4 turbojet.
  • OV-10B(Z): A variation of the German target tug, with one J85-GE-4 turbojet mounted in a nacelle above the fuselage. A total of 18 aircraft were supplied to the Germans.
  • OV-10C: Export version for Thailand; based on the OV-10A, 32 built.
  • YOV-10D (NOGS): The prototype Night Observation Gunship System variant developed as the YOV-10D, two OV-10A conversions, 155395,155396.
  • OV-10D: Second generation Bronco developed under the NOGS program. The D-model was an extensively modified OV-10A airframe, adding a forward-looking infrared night-vision system with a turret-mounted camera under an extended nose, visually distinct from the short rounded nose of the A-model. The D also has bigger engines and larger fiberglass propellers. Other noticeable external differences are the chaff dispensers installed midway down the booms and infrared-suppressive exhaust stacks (which mix the exhaust with colder air to reduce the aircraft's heat signature). 17 modified from OV-10A.
  • OV-10D+: The next USMC upgrade, consisting of A and D aircraft being extensively reworked at MCAS Cherry Point Naval Air Rework Facility with new wiring and strengthened wings. Engine instrumentation was changed from round dials to tape readouts.
  • OV-10E: Export version for Venezuela; based on the OV-10A, 16 built.
  • OV-10F: Export version for Indonesia; based on the OV-10A, 16 built.
  • OV-10G+: Designation given to OV-10s loaned from NASA to the United States Special Operations Command for evaluation under the Combat Dragon II as a counter-insurgency aircraft, featuring new Hartzell four-bladed props and an off-the-shelf sensor suite. 3 modified from OV-10D+.
  • OV-10M (Modified): A four-bladed version of OV-10A; modified to accommodate bigger engines with larger fiberglass props. Equipped with square chaff dispensers midway down the booms and with new wiring and strengthened wings. Engine instrumentation was changed from round dials to tape readouts by Marsh Aviation for the Philippine Air Force.
  • OV-10T: Proposed cargo version of the OV-10, capable of carrying 8-12 troops or 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) of cargo, studied during the Vietnam War but not proceeded with.
  • OV-10X: Proposed version for the USAF's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance contract. In 2009 Boeing put together plans internally to build a modernized, improved version of the Bronco, called the OV-10X, to satisfy a possible Air Force requirement for a light attack plane.[56] According to Pentagon and industry officials, while the aircraft would maintain much of its 1960s-vintage rugged external design, modernizations would include a computerized glass cockpit, intelligence sensors and smart-bomb-dropping capabilities. Boeing indicates that international interest in restarting production is growing, to compete with other light attack aircraft such as the T-6B Texan II, A-67 Dragon, and EMB 314 Super Tucano.

Users[edit | edit source]

  • Colombia
    • Colombian Air Force
  • West Germany
    • Luftwaffe
  • Indonesia
    • Indonesian Air Force
  • Morocco
    • Royal Moroccan Air Force
  • Thailand
    • Royal Thai Air Force
  • United States
    • Beaufort County Mosquito Control
    • California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
    • NASA
    • United States Air Force
    • United States Marine Corps
  • Venezuela
    • Venezuelan Air Force

See Also[edit | edit source]

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