Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan
Alliant Techsystems (ATK) · United States · first flew 2014 · fighter
The Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan is an armed variant of the Cessna 208 Caravan utility turboprop, modified by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to carry precision-guided munitions including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and other stores. It is designed for light attack and counter-insurgency operations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.67 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Armed Cessna Caravan light attack aircraft
- Hellfire missile capability on a utility turboprop
- Counter-insurgency light strike platform for partner nations
Identical to the standard Cessna 208 Caravan — a high-wing single-turboprop utility aircraft — but distinguished by weapons pylons under the wings carrying Hellfire missile rails or rocket pods and an electro-optical/infrared sensor turret under the nose.
Specifications
- The Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravan has a length of 12.67 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.87 m (52 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 344 km/h (214 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in the 2000s and first operationally deployed in the early 2010s, the AC-208 was supplied to the Iraqi Air Force and Afghan Air Force under US security assistance programmes as an affordable light attack asset. The first deliveries to Iraq began around 2009, with Combat Caravan-specific armament configurations tested from 2014.
Variants
The armed Caravan family includes the Caravan II AEW and various sensor fits; the AC-208 specifically refers to the armed strike configuration with Hellfire and other weapon capability.
Where you'll see it
The AC-208 has been operated by the Iraqi Air Force in combat against ISIS and by the Afghan Air Force for counter-insurgency operations before the Afghan government's collapse in 2021.
Related aircraft
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