Overview
- Air Education and Training Command accepted the first Boeing–Saab T-7A at a Jan. 9 ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio–Randolph, assigning it to the 99th Flying Training Squadron “Red Tails.”
- The program targets initial operational capability in August 2027 with 14 jets for the 99th, after prior delays tied to ejection-seat and flight-control software issues.
- The Red Hawk replaces the T-38C and arrives with a training ecosystem of simulators, Ground-Based Training Systems, Live-Virtual-Constructive integration, and a dedicated maintainer training system to cut required sorties.
- The plan of record calls for 351 aircraft and 46 simulators, with deliveries ramping to 40–60 per year into the early 2030s and follow-on fielding at Columbus, Laughlin, Vance, and Sheppard Air Force Bases.
- Leaders emphasize the jet’s open-architecture software and modern avionics as a platform that can be updated for fifth-generation training now and sixth-generation requirements later, and a second aircraft is expected in the coming weeks for initial test and evaluation.