The U.S. Navy is set to replace its T-45 Goshawk with a new advanced jet trainer. Offerings from Boeing, HAL, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin are all in the running for the Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System.
Here’s The List Of Trainer Jet That Can Replace The Navy’s T-45 Goshawk:
Boeing T-7B Red Hawk
Boeing is pitching a version of the T-7A Red Hawk that’s been selected as the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation jet trainer. Boeing the Navy’s Red Hawk is designated T-7B and is intended to have a cost per flying hour of $7,200, compared to $10,700 for the T-45C. Changes that would be made compared to the land-based variant include increased internal fuel capacity, while there are options for wingtip stations to mount captive AIM-9X missiles or ACMI pods for adversary missions, as well as an internal infrared search and track (IRST) system. The cockpit would be reconfigurable to replicate the F/A-18E/F Block III or the F-35, while a jamming pod would be another option for red air work.
T-50A
Lockheed Martin will team up with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to offer the T-50A. So far, it’s not clear what kinds of changes would be incorporated in the Navy version of the T-50A. However, a Lockheed Martin official told Janes that the company was offering “modest modifications to the baseline T-50A” to meet the requirements in the service’s request for information.
Leonardo M-346 Master
The Aermacchi M-346 Master is a family of military twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft. Leonardo M-346 Master is the Leonardo entrant for the Navy trainer competition, the Italian firm’s bid being formally announced at the Sea Air Space 2021 maritime exposition, which took place from August 2-4, at the Gaylord National Convention Center, Maryland.
HAL Tejas
Perhaps the most surprising apparent entrant in the UJTS competition is the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft, or LCA, which is operated by the Indian Air Force as the Tejas. While the Indian Navy has already rejected a navalized LCA as a potential carrier-based combat jet, HAL has flown a two-seat LCA Navy prototype and the aircraft seems to have been offered to the U.S. Navy as a trainer, although its chances of success must be considered extremely slim.
