Air Tacticle Aircraft

Specifications

Cruise Speed: 258 mph
Gallon Capacity: not applicable
Manufacturer: North American Rockwell. Columbus. Ohio.
Crew: Pilot and Air Tactical Group Supervisor

Original Owner

US Navy/Marines. 1968 1993. The OV 10A was used as a counter insurgency (military intelligence) aircraft and close air support to military ground forces.

Acquired by CAL FIRE

In 1993, CAL FIRE acquired 16 OV- lOAs from the Department of Defense. Fourteen of those have been converted and are available for use as air attack planes. The OV 10s replaced the original Cessna 0 2As that CAL FIRE had been using for air attack. The OV 10s are newer, larger, and faster, provide a larger held of vision for the crew and are more maneuverable than the older 0 2As.

Mission

CAL FIRE uses OV lOAs as aerial command and control of aircraft on wildland fires. The crew provides tactical coordination with the incident commander on the ground, providing information on the movement and spread of the hre. The OV- 10A crew then directs CAL FIRE’S airtanker and helicopter pilots where to make their retardant and water drops.