| T-7 Red Hawk | |
|---|---|
| Role | Advanced trainer |
| National origin | United States/Sweden |
| Manufacturer | Boeing / Saab Group |
| First flight | 20 December 2016 |
| Status | Development |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 2[1] |
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The Boeing/Saab T-7 Red Hawk, originally known as the Boeing T-X, is an American/Swedish advanced jet trainer developed by Boeing Defense, Space & Security in partnership with Saab Group. It was selected on 27 September 2018 by the United States Air Force (USAF) as the winner of the T-X program to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon.
Design and development[]
The USAF's Air Education and Training Command (AETC) began developing the requirements for a replacement for the Northrop T-38 Talon as early as 2003. Originally, the replacement trainer was expected to enter service around 2020. A fatigue failure in 2008 killed the two-person crew of a T-38C, and the USAF advanced the target date of initial operational capability (IOC) to 2017.[2] In the Fiscal 2013 budget proposal, the USAF suggested delaying the initial operating capability to FY2020 with the contract award not expected before FY2016.[3] Shrinking budgets and higher priority modernization projects pushed the IOC of the T-X program winner to "fiscal year 2023 or 2024". Although the program was left out of the FY 2014 budget entirely, the service still viewed the trainer as a priority.[4]
In cooperation with its Swedish aerospace group partner, Saab Group,[5][6] Boeing's submission to the competition was the Boeing T-X, a single-engine advanced jet trainer with a twin tail, tandem seating and retractable tricycle landing gear. The submitted aircraft and demonstration models were powered by a General Electric F404 afterburning turbofan engine.[7]
Boeing revealed its aircraft to the public on 13 September 2016.[8] The first T-X aircraft flew on 20 December 2016.[9][10]
On 27 September 2018, Boeing's design was officially announced as the USAF's new advanced jet trainer, replacing the T-38 Talon. A total of 351 aircraft and 46 simulators, maintenance training and support are to be supplied at a program cost of US$9.2 billion.[11][12][13][14]
U.S. Air Force publicity photo of the T-7A Red Hawk showing Red Tail livery
In May 2019, Saab announced that it would open a U.S. manufacturing facility for the T-X in Indiana in partnership with Purdue University.[15][16]
On 16 September 2019, the USAF officially named the aircraft the "T-7A Red Hawk" as a tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, who painted their airplanes' tails red, and to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, one of the aircraft flown by the Tuskegee Airmen.[17][18]
Variants[]
Operators[]
Specifications[]
Data from Flight Global[9][21]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F404-GE-103 afterburning turbofan, 11,000 lbf (49 kN) thrust dry, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) with afterburner
See also[]
- AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle
- Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
- Hongdu L-15
- KAI T-50 Golden Eagle
- Yakovlev Yak-130
References[]
- ↑ Trimble, Stephen (24 April 2017). "Boeing/Saab fly second T-X test aircraft". FlightGlobal. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeingsaab-fly-second-t-x-test-aircraft-436496/. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ↑ Trimble, Stephan (22 June 2010). "US Air Force, industry prepare for T-38 replacement". http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/06/22/343393/us-air-force-industry-prepare-for-t-38-replacement.html. Retrieved 20 September 2010..
- ↑ "USAF delays T-38 trainer replacement to 2020". Flight global. 17 February 2012. http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-delays-t-38-trainer-replacement-to-2020-368456/. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
- ↑ "Budget constraints delay new trainer". 15 May 2013. http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130515/NEWS/305150023/Budget-constraints-delay-new-trainer..
- ↑ "Boeing and Saab Sign Joint Development Agreement on T-X Family of Systems Training Competition". Boeing. http://boeing.mediaroom.com/Boeing-and-Saab-Sign-Joint-Development-Agreement-on-T-X-Family-of-Systems-Training-Competition.
- ↑ Clark, Colin. "Boeing Takes T-X Lead as Northrop Joins Raytheon & Drops Out of T-X". Breaking Defense. http://breakingdefense.com/2017/02/boeing-takes-t-x-lead-as-northrop-joins-raytheon-drops-out-of-t-x/.
- ↑ "Boeing T-X Advanced Pilot Training system". Saab. http://saabgroup.com/globalassets/corporate/news--press/boeing-t-x-backgrounder-sept-2016.pdf. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ↑ "Boeing T-X Sees the Light". Boeing. http://www.boeing.com/features/2016/09/tx-rollout-09-16.page.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Boeing and Saab complete first T-X flight". Flight Global. 20 December 2016. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-and-saab-complete-first-t-x-flight-432611/.
- ↑ Niles, Russ (20 December 2016). "Boeing/Saab T-X First Flight". AVweb. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/BoeingSaab-T-X-First-Flight-228240-1.html. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ↑ "Air Force awards $9B contract to Boeing for next training jet". Defense News. 2018-09-27. https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/09/27/reuters-air-force-awards-9b-contract-to-boeing-for-next-training-jet/.
- ↑ "Air Force awards next-generation fighter and bomber trainer". Saab. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1647147/air-force-awards-next-generation-fighter-and-bomber-trainer/.
- ↑ O'Connor, Kate (2 October 2018). "Air Force Selects New Combat Trainer". AVweb. https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Air-Force-Selects-New-Combat-Trainer-231619-1.html.
- ↑ "Boeing: It’s Official: Boeing Wins T-X!". Boeing. https://www.boeing.com/features/2018/09/tx-wins-09-18.page.
- ↑ "Saab announces new U.S. site for advanced manufacturing and production" (in en-US). Saab. https://saabgroup.com/media/news-press/news/2019-05/saab-announces-new-u.s.-site-for-advanced-manufacturing-and-production/.
- ↑ "Saab's global defense and security company lands in Indiana, to open site near Purdue University" (in en-US). Purdue. https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2019/Q2/saabs-global-defense-and-security-company-lands-in-indiana,-to-open-site-near-purdue-university.html.
- ↑ "Air Force announces newest Red Tail: ‘T-7A Red Hawk’". Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. 16 September 2019. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1960964/air-force-announces-newest-red-tail-t-7a-red-hawk/. Retrieved 21 November 2019. "'The name Red Hawk honors the legacy of Tuskegee Airmen and pays homage to their signature red-tailed aircraft from World War II,' Donovan said. 'The name is also a tribute to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, an American fighter aircraft that first flew in 1938 and was flown by the 99th Fighter Squadron, the U.S. Army Air Forces' first African American fighter squadron.'"
- ↑ "This is the name of the Air Force's new training jet". 16 September 2019. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/afa-air-space/2019/09/16/this-is-the-name-of-the-air-forces-new-training-jet/. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- ↑ "Inquiry Results N381TX". Registry N-Number. FAA..
- ↑ "Inquiry Results N382TX". Registry N-Number. FAA..
- ↑ "Popular Choice: The GE F404-powered Boeing T-7A Trainer Named to "Best of What’s New" List". General electric. https://blog.geaviation.com/product/popular-choice-the-ge-f404-powered-boeing-t-7a-trainer-named-to-best-of-whats-new-list/..
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