T-X

"facw" (facw) 10/11/2016 at 06:55 • Filed to: Planelopnik

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To celebrate my newfound posting privileges (thanks Party-vi), along with the fact I’m up too early and my internet is broken, have some planes:

On Sunday I saw Boeing was running ads for their T-X entrant, so I thought I’d look at what everyone is doing there. The T-X competition is a USAF program to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon, which has been in service as America’s primary fighter trainer for over half a century.

Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen/US Air Force

Compared to the T-38 the new aircraft will be required support aerial refuelling, a more advanced avionics suite to better prepare pilots for flying the F-22 and F-35, and to be more fuel efficient and cheaper to operate.

The program is expected to award a contract towards the end of 2017, with initial operating capacity sometime around 2023. There are currently four contenders actively pursuing the contract: Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop, and Raytheon (Textron had previously put forward a proposal but withdrew it after it became clear it would not meet the performance requirements. it is unclear if they will enter a new design).

Here are the aircraft being considered:

Lockheed Martin/KAI T-50 Golden Eagle

Boeing/Saab T-X

Northrop Grumman/Scaled Composites Model 400

!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!

Sam > facw 10/11/2016 at 07:07

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Welcome to the club.

I’m digging that Raytheon T-100. Of course, it’s hard to compare them in looks alone.

facw > Sam 10/11/2016 at 07:30

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It’s basically a Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master. Apparently they considered just entering the competition by themselves, but (probably correctly) decided they would be doomed without an American prime contractor, so Raytheon got the call.

Party-vi > facw 10/11/2016 at 07:59

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J.G. Murphy > facw 10/11/2016 at 08:01

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Crossing my fingers that this means a flood of cheap T-38s on the market.

RedlineZ bought an SV (And is getting rid of the z) > facw 10/11/2016 at 09:10

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Hey welcome to the party. F18 for your time cuz go fast jets are sweet

X37.9XXS > facw 10/11/2016 at 09:23

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I don’t know

A touch of the scarlet letter, old boy

ttyymmnn > facw 10/11/2016 at 09:50

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I haven’t really been following this story at all. Do these aircraft also come with an options package for ground attack? Also, I’m thinking that Lockheed and Raytheon would have a leg up, considering their aircraft are already flying.

Welcome! I never realized you didn’t have posting privileges around here.

facw > X37.9XXS 10/11/2016 at 09:52

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I had forgotten that it was a secret Soviet...

Then again the F-35 clearly has some Yak-141 in it, so maybe that make sense...

facw > ttyymmnn 10/11/2016 at 09:59

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There was some talk about whether the program should ask for light attack capabilities or be considered for an aggressor role as well, but ultimately they decided to just evaluate them based on the trainer role. The T-50 would definitely have an advantage in the ground attack role since the TA-50 and FA-50 variants are already combat capable. I did read somewhere that night vision systems are one thing they want, which seems like it would point towards some ground attack training, presumably mirroring the F-35's fancy system.

I agree that it seems like the people who are already flying have a big edge, and that Lockheed in particular is in a good situation.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > J.G. Murphy 10/27/2016 at 20:04

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Exactly . I’ve loved the T-38 since I first got a small model of one back in the early ‘70s, and thought that it was a better looking aircraft than the F-5. 50 years on and it’s still a sexy little ‘plane; all of the potential replacements look incredibly stubby in comparison. I’ve always thought it would make an excellent personal aircraft, although I would need west coast to Hawaii range, so I’d have to get something else for those trips :P