The T-7A Red Hawk has officially been cleared for production. Following Milestone C approval on April 23, the Air Force is moving forward with a $219 million contract for the first 14 advanced trainer aircraft along with associated spares, support equipment, and training from Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
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This achievement marks a pivotal moment for the T-7 Advanced Pilot Training Program. It follows a year of focused progress under an “active management” strategy, a collaborative effort between the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, and Boeing.
The T-7A Red Hawk is the first Air Force aircraft to be designed and built using all-digital methods, a process intended to streamline development, production and sustainment. The platform’s advanced systems will equip student pilots with the skills necessary to transition to 4th, 5th, and 6th generation fighters and bombers.
This Milestone C decision is the first of several in an innovative, phased approach. The directorate’s T-7A Program Office will seek approval for each of the first three low-rate initial production lots individually. This allows the team to manage concurrency risk by incorporating insights from ongoing developmental testing and other program progress before committing to subsequent production lots.
The broader program of record includes the delivery of 351 T-7A aircraft and 46 ground-based training simulators to five AETC bases over the next decade.
With the goal of achieving Initial Operational Capability for the T-7A by 2027, the program office will remain focused on completing the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, while supporting the initial cadre of instructors and maintainers as they build the foundation for the next generation of Air Force Pilot Training.
