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2021-06-06

Digital Tech Helps Assemble T-7A Red Hawk in Record Time

In what turned out to be one historic moment which also highlighted the power of digital technology, the front fuselage of the first Boeing-Saab T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer was joined impeccably with its aft section in less than 30 minutes, a record time.

This is a strong testament to the digital heritage of the U.S. Air Force’s first “eSeries” aircraft and witness to the benefits of model-based engineering and 3D design.

The digital splice was not only completed in 95 per cent less time than traditional assembling, but also came with substantial quality improvements.

The computer-driven manufacturing techniques serve as a booster for the U.S. Air Force’s Digital Century Series strategy enabling the integration of new concepts and capabilities faster and more affordably through virtual testing.

Chuck Dabundo, vice president and programme manager of Boeing T-7 programmes, points out: “This moment marks a key stage in the evolution of the T-7A Red Hawk. Employing digitally advanced manufacturing and build techniques developed by Boeing over the past two decades, we are bringing this trainer to future pilots sooner than ever before possible and with greater quality.”

Continents Apart

What makes the development dramatic and interesting is the fact that the two sections were built continents apart. The aft fuselage was designed and built by Saab in Linköping, Sweden, under a joint development agreement with Boeing. After making the journey of more than 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometres) to St. Louis, the aft section was lined up perfectly to the forward fuselage by Boeing mechanics.

The aircraft, which will be used for static test, is the first engineering and manufacturing development test asset to be spliced. It will be followed by five engineering and manufacturing development jets as part of 351 T-7A Red Hawk trainers to be produced for the U.S. Air Force.

Andrew Stark, Boeing T-7A Red Hawk production director, explains: “What we’re seeing in this new evolution of digitally designed, engineered and manufactured aircraft is a 50 per cent improvement in overall production quality and as much as a 98 per cent reduction in drilling defects. It’s a new way of producing airplanes with improved quality throughout the whole journey.”

Digital Processes

The T-7A Red Hawk is an all-new advanced pilot training system designed for the U.S. Air Force that will train the next generation of fighter and bomber pilots for decades to come.

Some solutions affect many aspects of the life cycle. Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk was purpose-built to include provisions for growth, improve supportability and innovate a maintenance-friendly design.

The aircraft was built with digital engineering processes, agile software development and an open architecture mission system to enable more rapid, affordable future aircraft development.

Embracing model-based engineering and 3D design tools, the T-7A achieved an 80 per cent reduction in assembly hours and a 75 per cent increase in first-time engineering quality, as well as cut software development time in half.

With digital engineering, more testing is done in the simulator itself.

The T-7A went from concept to first flight in merely three years as a result of a “breaking the norm” paradigm that includes a modular design of the aircraft developed specifically for maintainers, highly immersive training and offloading of skills and advanced fighter-like performance features that commensurate with the 4th and 5th-gen fighter aircraft.

Ground-Based Training Systems (GBTS), encompassing a full range of physical devices and instructional techniques, will prepare students for and supplement training conducted in the T-7A.

The aircraft adapts easily to people, software and systems so future technologies can be easily implemented, pilots can adjust to their personal preferences and the entire system can be applied to other missions.

The T-7A also produces better prepared pilots in less time by adapting to changing technologies and learning methods, and by downloading more expensive training.

It has several advantages on the training front. The Red Hawk’s fighter-like design and performance, combined with embedded and live virtual constructive training, allows the download of training tasks from the existing fleet to a lesser cost platform while simultaneously delivering realistic solutions that better prepare pilots for the training mission.

Key maintenance features greatly improve mean time to repair – including high wing, easy access doors, and quick release panels – making the T-7A an affordable, reliable solution. T-7A is powered by a GE F404 engine, offering higher power, improved fuel efficiency and superior mission capability.

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