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First T-7A Red Hawk trainer delivered to US Air Force

The US Air Force accepted the first of five T-7A Red Hawks from the Boeing Co. Sept. 14, 2023. Photo: Boeing Co.

The US Air Force has accepted the first of five T-7A Red Hawk advanced training aircraft from Boeing earlier this month.

The US Air Force has accepted the first of five T-7A Red Hawk advanced training aircraft from Boeing earlier this month.

Engineering, manufacturing, and development flight testing of the aircraft is planned to start later this year at St Louis then Edwards Air Force Base for the five T-7A aircraft.

The aircraft, combined with advanced ground-based simulators, are expected to provide a tactical advantage in training the next generation of fighter and bomber pilots for the US Air Force.

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The Red Hawk program leveraging a glass cockpit, stadium seating, and embedded training is expected to replace the ageing T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer program.

Following completed test readiness review and flight test planning, the five aircraft will begin testing and join two contractor-owned production representative jets that have completed over 500 flights testing performance and flying qualities.

“I continue to be amazed by this team. There has been a lot of effort over the last couple months to get through first flight and now aircraft acceptance,” said Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s T-7 program manager Colonel Kirt Cassell.

“We are excited to get these EMD aircraft into flight test.”

The T-7A program contract was originally awarded in September 2018 to Boeing Defense, Space & Security and programmed to deliver an integrated system of 351 aircraft, 46 ground-based training systems, and associated support equipment.

“The Red Hawk integrated test team is ready and looking forward to begin EMD test and evaluation,” said T-7A chief developmental tester Dr Troy C Hoeger.

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