T-X Update

This is will be somewhat brief as I am pressed for time.
Lockheed's variant of the T-50A has taken its first flight.

Lockheed Martin successfully completed the initial flight test of its T-50A configured aircraft. The T-50A is the company’s aircraft offering in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training competition.

“The aircraft in its new configuration with the 5th Gen cockpit and other upgrades performed flawlessly,” said Mark Ward, Lockheed Martin T-50A lead test pilot, 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 5th Generation fighters.”

www.defencetalk.com...

Supposedly, Boeing took delivery of a prototype from Saab.

Boeing and Saab have managed to keep the design for the Air Force’s T-X trainer competition under wraps, but there are signs the two companies may be nearing a milestone for the program.

On Monday, aviation enthusiasts in Sweden noticed the arrival of an Il-76, operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines LLC, near the city of Norrköping, where a large piece of cargo was loaded onto the plane. From there, the large cargo plane took off for Reykjavik, Iceland — and then took an overnight flight to St. Louis, Missouri.

So what was the cargo loaded at Norrköping? Local radio station P4 Östergötland claim that the cargo aboard the plane is related to the T-X program, notable given the final destination for the cargo; St. Louis is home to Boeing’s fighter production line and is widely expected to be where any T-X work gets done for the company. That report set off a frenzy for enthusiasts in the region — and led to local media arriving to snap pictures.

www.defensenews.com...

No sign of Northrop's bird.

I'm excited to see where the T-X goes. Boeing's bird will be the most interesting. Some of the photos of the "outdated" model look promising. I don't really think the repurposed birds stand much of a chance. The Hawk isn't good enough to do the job. The T-100 is a nice aircraft but I don't think tax-payers would like it. The T/A-50 is a good aircraft but I don't see Lockheed getting another contract. IMO it's Boeing's to lose.

Well, they have the lack of rearward visibility part down so it should be easy to migrate to the F35. I know, I know, it is a trainer.

Aesthetics aside, who's engine is in there?

a reply to: Caughtlurking

After the mess Boeing has made of contracts lately they're going to be hard pressed to get this.

a reply to: Flipper35

It uses the F404, like the standard T-50. It's mostly a T-50, with open architecture, upgraded cockpit, and IFR system.

To me why does it look like an A-4 had an unmoral coupling with a Hawk?

a reply to: Blackfinger

Minus the hump, it reminds me of an F-16's tail grafted to an AIDC Ching-Kuo's nose and intakes.

a reply to: Barnalby

It is. They used some features from the F-16 to design it. KAI license built the Viper for Korea so they started with what they knew.

a reply to: Zaphod58

That makes a bunch of sense. I'd imagine that South Korea and Taiwan might be pretty cozy militarily, behind closed doors at least.

Are we ever going to get to see the Northrop bird?

a reply to: Barnalby

Northrop and Boeing will probably unveil at the AFA conference.

a reply to: Zaphod58

No way Boeing's senators let anyone else get it. In the end it is all politics.

a reply to: Zaphod58

No way Boeing's senators let anyone else get it. In the end it is all politics.

a reply to: bra1nwash

They can try, but then they'll have to explain why the Air Force cancels the program.

a reply to: Zaphod58


The Kc-46 has had some headaches but I don't think that will have any bearing on the T-X program. It was ambitious to begin with. The new boom is supposed to be much faster.. Faster usually means more problems for anything mechanical in nature.

a reply to: Caughtlurking

If it was just the boom then I'd agree, but Boeing has made some stupid mistakes and has reinvented the wheel. And yeah, it is going to play a role. One of the criteria for the B-21 took into account past performance.

a reply to: Caughtlurking

If it was just the boom then I'd agree, but Boeing has made some stupid mistakes and has reinvented the wheel. And yeah, it is going to play a role. One of the criteria for the B-21 took into account past performance.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Honestly though it'd be hard to best Northrop when they have such a leg up on flying wings.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The US Air Force is considering expanding the scope of its T-X trainer requirement to include the role of an aggressor aircraft or potentially as a replacement for its Fairchild Dornier A-10 Warthogs.

Although the service is yet to issue a formal request for proposals on T-X, USAF officials have expressed interest in using the aircraft to fulfill the close air support mission of the A-10 replacement, also known as AT-X, said Dan Darnell, vice-president of strategic initiatives at Raytheon, speaking at the show on Tuesday.

www.janes.com...

Raytheon unveiled its T-X trainer, but pix seem to be scarce due to the weather.

Lockheed T-50A promo. Shows the way the IFR door folds back on the spine.