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2020-04-01

USAF to Receive First T-7A in 2023

Boeing is reportedly expected to deliver the first T-7A Red Hawk to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in 2023. The T-7A has accumulated more than 175 hours of flight time in more than 160 developmental test flights. The aircraft has been designed by Boeing and Saab.

Restarting a military jet’s engine in flight is a critical safety feature that can only be demonstrated by doing something a flight crew rarely wants to do – shutting off the engine in flight. That’s even more daunting in a single-engine aircraft. Yet, a Boeing T-7A trainer crew recently did it, at 20,000 feet above an Illinois, U.S. test area, then flew the plane for 48 seconds before restarting the GE F404 engine and landing back at Boeing’s St. Louis site.

“Engine air start testing requires a large amount of preparation, planning and teamwork,” said T-7A Chief Pilot Steve Schmidt. “It’s a test of all the subsystems built for backup in the event a pilot would have to shut the engine down in an emergency and power it back up again.”

Schmidt performed the test with fellow Boeing Pilot William Berryman. The test was the latest success for a programme that’s meeting all its critical development milestones. “This is a testament not only to the confidence our pilots have in the reliability of the T-7A aircraft, but also to the team who designed, engineered and built this new trainer aircraft for the Air Force,” said Chuck Dabundo, T-7 vice president and programme manager.

Paying Tribute

T-7A Red Hawk pays tribute to the legends of the past and the heroes of the future. Named and designed to honour the Tuskegee Airmen who flew the red-tailed P-51 Mustang in World War II, the T-7A Red Hawk will train future U.S. Air Force pilots for decades to come. The T-7A Red Hawk, introduces capabilities that prepare pilots for fifth generation fighters, including high-G environment, information and 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,” said Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan. “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 seamlessly. The plane was also designed with maintainers in mind by utilising 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 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.”

The US$9.2 billion contract awarded to Boeing 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.

Powering Front-line Fighters

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 and Sheppard AFB, Texas; and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.

With twin tails, high-G and high angle-of-attack capability, the Red Hawk is intended to perform like fighter aircraft. The twin tails provide control, inherent speed-break functionality and safer air refuelling, with a design visually similar to current fighters and offering improved stability to enhance training. T-7A is powered by a GE F404 engine, offering higher power, improved fuel efficiency and superior mission capability. The F404 engine family facilitates missions ranging from low-level subsonic attack to high-altitude interception, proving its versatility as it powers front-line fighters globally.

Classroom in the Sky

High wings, easy access panels and easy reach enable the T-7A Red Hawk design to focus on accessibility, fewer fasteners and readiness of engine and seats. It is also designed around common U.S. Air Force ground equipment with established suppliers reducing supply chain complexity. Clean, intuitive and reconfigurable advanced cockpit allows students and instructors a maximum range of training options with modern avionics.

Stable, student- and instructor-friendly T-7A platform offers fly-by-wire flight controls, ample thrust and excellent handling at all speeds, configurations and high angle-of-attack. The complete advanced pilot training solution provides interactive classroom lessons, computer-based training modules and adaptive training, while the T-7A adjusts to students’ needs by offering a complete suite of instructor tools for optimum results on the ground and in the ‘classroom in the sky’.

Reference Text/Photo:
www.boeing.com

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