Lockheed Martin flies first T-50A aimed at USAF T-X competition....

[Zain Malik]

First flight of the Lockheed Martin T-50A. Source: Lockheed Martin
T-X trainer programme

Lockheed Martin completed a first test flight of a modernised T-50A that it developed jointly with Korea Aerospace Industries for US Air Force's (USAF's) T-X trainer programme, the company announced on 2 June.

The T-50A is the company's aircraft offering in the USAF's competition to replace the ageing Northrop T-38 Talon. The T-50A configuration is a block upgrade of the existing T-50 design. Changes include aerial refuelling capability, embedded training, open system architecture, and a fifth-generation cockpit, company officials have said. Lockheed Martin plans to build the T-50A for the USAF and for potential international customers at its Greenville, South Carolina, facility. Major components of the aircraft like the wings, fuselage, and tail will be assembled in South Korea and shipped to South Carolina for final assembly.

"The aircraft in its new configuration with the [fifth-generation] cockpit and other upgrades performed flawlessly," Mark Ward, Lockheed Martin T-50A lead test pilot, said after his flight in Sacheon, South Korea. "I have no doubt this aircraft will close the gap which currently exists between the trainer fleet and [fifth-generation] fighters."

The USAF in March announced a delay to its planned opening of the T-X competition by three months in order to further refine the request for proposals (RfP). The programme office anticipates an RfP release in late December 2016. As a result, full operational capability (FOC) was delayed by two years until 2034. Initial operational capability (IOC) remained unchanged at 2024.

At least three industry teams are expected to compete for the contract. Raytheon in February announced plans to join Finmeccanica and CAE to offer the T-100. Northrop Grumman and a Boeing/Saab team have said, separately, that they will offer new designs for the competition.

 

[Blue Marlin]

First flight of the Lockheed Martin T-50A. Source: Lockheed Martin
T-X trainer programme

Lockheed Martin completed a first test flight of a modernised T-50A that it developed jointly with Korea Aerospace Industries for US Air Force's (USAF's) T-X trainer programme, the company announced on 2 June.

The T-50A is the company's aircraft offering in the USAF's competition to replace the ageing Northrop T-38 Talon. The T-50A configuration is a block upgrade of the existing T-50 design. Changes include aerial refuelling capability, embedded training, open system architecture, and a fifth-generation cockpit, company officials have said. Lockheed Martin plans to build the T-50A for the USAF and for potential international customers at its Greenville, South Carolina, facility. Major components of the aircraft like the wings, fuselage, and tail will be assembled in South Korea and shipped to South Carolina for final assembly.

"The aircraft in its new configuration with the [fifth-generation] cockpit and other upgrades performed flawlessly," Mark Ward, Lockheed Martin T-50A lead test pilot, said after his flight in Sacheon, South Korea. "I have no doubt this aircraft will close the gap which currently exists between the trainer fleet and [fifth-generation] fighters."

The USAF in March announced a delay to its planned opening of the T-X competition by three months in order to further refine the request for proposals (RfP). The programme office anticipates an RfP release in late December 2016. As a result, full operational capability (FOC) was delayed by two years until 2034. Initial operational capability (IOC) remained unchanged at 2024.

At least three industry teams are expected to compete for the contract. Raytheon in February announced plans to join Finmeccanica and CAE to offer the T-100. Northrop Grumman and a Boeing/Saab team have said, separately, that they will offer new designs for the competition.

can you cut it out with the colour!?
the t-50a is a good contender as its proven airframe with pleny of hours on it but its has quiet a checkerd past with 3 crashes under its name with only less than 90 built. lockheed has a large number of contracts under its belt so i would imagine the t-50 wont be choosen. boeing and saab have a good chance