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U.S. Air Force’s new trainer aircraft T-7A Red Hawk
Photo courtesy of Boeing Defense
The T-7A will replace 50-year-old fleet of T-38C Talon Trainer. The T-X program had been established to enable the United States Air Force to buy a new two-seat jet trainer for fast-jet training to replace the Northrop Talon.
The T-7A Red Hawk, manufactured by Boeing, introduces capabilities that prepare pilots for fifth generation fighters, including: high-G environment, information/sensor management, high angle of attack flight characteristics, night operations, and transferable air-to-air and air-to-ground skills.
“The T-7A will be the staple of a new generation of aircraft,” Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan said during the Air, Space & Cyber Conference Sep. 16 . “The Red Hawk offers advanced capabilities for training tomorrow’s pilots on data links, simulated radar, smart weapons, defensive management systems, as well as synthetic training capabilities.”
Along with updated technology and performance capabilities, the T-7A will be accompanied by enhanced simulators and the ability to update system software faster and more seamlessly. The plane was also designed with maintainers in mind by utilizing easy-to-reach and open access panels.
The T-7A features twin tails, slats and big leading-edge root extensions that provide deft handling at low speeds, allowing it to fly in a way that better approximates real world demands and that is specifically designed to prepare pilots for fifth-generation aircraft. The aircraft’s single engine generates nearly three times more thrust than the dual engines of the T-38C Talon which it is replacing.
“The distance between the T-38 and an F-35 is night and day,” said Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein. “But with the T-7A the distance is much, much smaller. And that’s important because it means the pilots trained on it will be that much better, that much faster at a time when we must be able to train to the speed of the threat.”
A $9.2 billion contract awarded to Boeing in September 2018 calls for 351 T-7A aircraft, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment to be delivered and installed, replacing Air Education and Training Command’s 57-year-old fleet of T-38C Talons.
The first T-7A aircraft and simulators are scheduled to arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. All undergraduate pilot training bases will eventually transition from the T-38C to the T-7A. Those bases include: Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Sheppard AFB, Texas and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.
Boeing T-X Cockpit and Avionics
The Boeing T-X is equipped with a modern cockpit and flexible avionics integrated into the trainer. The cockpit displays a broad and modular display area, offering various training options for instructors and students. The cockpit is equipped with fly-by-wire flight controls that ensure excellent handling at all speeds, flight parameters, and high angle-of-attack.
The cockpit of a Boeing T-X can accommodate an instructor and a student. Seating arrangements offer ideal positions for instructors and visibility for flight instructions for conducting basic traffic pattern operations and advanced visual air combat training. Seats compatible with JPATS 1-7 also accommodate a variety of individuals with different body sizes.
Specifications:
Photo courtesy of Boeing Defense
The T-7A will replace 50-year-old fleet of T-38C Talon Trainer. The T-X program had been established to enable the United States Air Force to buy a new two-seat jet trainer for fast-jet training to replace the Northrop Talon.
The T-7A Red Hawk, manufactured by Boeing, introduces capabilities that prepare pilots for fifth generation fighters, including: high-G environment, information/sensor management, high angle of attack flight characteristics, night operations, and transferable air-to-air and air-to-ground skills.
“The T-7A will be the staple of a new generation of aircraft,” Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan said during the Air, Space & Cyber Conference Sep. 16 . “The Red Hawk offers advanced capabilities for training tomorrow’s pilots on data links, simulated radar, smart weapons, defensive management systems, as well as synthetic training capabilities.”
Along with updated technology and performance capabilities, the T-7A will be accompanied by enhanced simulators and the ability to update system software faster and more seamlessly. The plane was also designed with maintainers in mind by utilizing easy-to-reach and open access panels.
The T-7A features twin tails, slats and big leading-edge root extensions that provide deft handling at low speeds, allowing it to fly in a way that better approximates real world demands and that is specifically designed to prepare pilots for fifth-generation aircraft. The aircraft’s single engine generates nearly three times more thrust than the dual engines of the T-38C Talon which it is replacing.
“The distance between the T-38 and an F-35 is night and day,” said Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein. “But with the T-7A the distance is much, much smaller. And that’s important because it means the pilots trained on it will be that much better, that much faster at a time when we must be able to train to the speed of the threat.”
A $9.2 billion contract awarded to Boeing in September 2018 calls for 351 T-7A aircraft, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment to be delivered and installed, replacing Air Education and Training Command’s 57-year-old fleet of T-38C Talons.
The first T-7A aircraft and simulators are scheduled to arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. All undergraduate pilot training bases will eventually transition from the T-38C to the T-7A. Those bases include: Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Sheppard AFB, Texas and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.
Boeing T-X Cockpit and Avionics
The Boeing T-X is equipped with a modern cockpit and flexible avionics integrated into the trainer. The cockpit displays a broad and modular display area, offering various training options for instructors and students. The cockpit is equipped with fly-by-wire flight controls that ensure excellent handling at all speeds, flight parameters, and high angle-of-attack.
The cockpit of a Boeing T-X can accommodate an instructor and a student. Seating arrangements offer ideal positions for instructors and visibility for flight instructions for conducting basic traffic pattern operations and advanced visual air combat training. Seats compatible with JPATS 1-7 also accommodate a variety of individuals with different body sizes.
Specifications:
- Crew: 2
- Length: 46 ft 5.0 in (14.15 m)
- Wingspan: 32 ft 9.7 in (10 m)
- Height: 13 ft 1.4 in (4.0 m)
- Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F404 Afterburning turbofan, 11,000 lbf (49 kN) thrust dry, 17,700 lbf (79 kN) with afterburner
- Maximum speed: 808 mph (1,300 km/h, 702 kn)
- Range: 1,143 mi (1,839 km, 994 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
- Rate of climb: 33,500 ft/min (170 m/s)
