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The T-7A Red Hawk: Ushering in a New Era of Advanced Pilot Training

The United States Air Force just officially launched its newest advanced trainer aircraft, the T-7A Red Hawk, ready to replace the T-38C Talon. An announcement was made by Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan during the 2019 Air Force Association’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference held at National Harbor on September 16.

Named after the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African American military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Forces, the T-7A Red Hawk was developed by Boeing in partnership with Saab. The name and distinctive red-tailed paint scheme of the aircraft are an homage to the World War II aircraft of the Tuskegee Airmen: the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, and North American P-51 Mustang.

Donovan was joined by Tuskegee Airman Col. Charles McGee to underscore the significance of the new trainer: “The name Red Hawk honors the legacy of Tuskegee Airmen and pays homage to their signature red-tailed aircraft from World War II,” he said. The T-7A Red Hawk is designed to train pilots for flying fifth-generation fighters. Performance characteristics include training in a high-G environment, information and sensor management, high angle of attack flight characteristics, and nighttime operations.

The T-7A Red Hawk represents a leap in technology and a leap in training methodology. Twin tails, slats, and large leading-edge root extensions add to its low-speed handling, which closely resembles that of modern combat aircraft. Its single engine produces nearly three times the thrust of the dual engines in the T-38C Talon, further bridging the gap between trainer and operational aircraft performance.

Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein welcomed the development. “The distance between the T-38 and an F-35 is night and day,” he said. “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.”

The configuration of the T-7A Red Hawk will be digital to enable advanced integration capability for training affordably. Model-based engineering ensures safety and flexibility for a variety of training missions. The T-7A is a “game-changer,” said Col. Kirt Cassell, USAF T-7A program manager. “It has advanced mission systems, a glass touchscreen cockpit, stadium seating, and embedded training capability.

The T-7A has made some fantastic progress. Boeing officials say 80 percent of developmental testing has been completed with over 200 flights conducted to date. The first T-7A aircraft and simulators will arrive at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023.

The T-7A Red Hawk is in a position to meet the evolving needs of the USAF and, possibly, those of international customers. Boeing does not rule out options for marketing the aircraft as a light attack platform and is confident that it will be able to perform beyond advanced pilot training. An interoperable capability within its network, with a niche for licensed overseas production, places the T-7A as a versatile and attractive option for air forces worldwide.

The advanced threats and newer technologies continue to reshape the USAF, and with those changes, the T-7A Red Hawk will be prepared to train a new generation of fighter and bomber pilots for the rigors and dangers of modern air combat.

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