The Incredible Capabilities Of The US Air Force's New Supersonic Training Jet
U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Matthew B. Fredericks
BY DAVID ROSSIAKY/FEB. 7, 2023 5:58 PM EST
The U.S. Air Force's (USAF) combat training aircraft are amidst a digital-era transformation. The Boeing Company — working in partnership with Saab — is entering the final stages of engineering and development for the T-7A Red Hawk before starting production runs. The Red Hawks will replace the USAF's fleet of T-38 Talons, the first of which went into service before Alan Shepard became the first American to go to space in 1961 (via Air Force Times).
It is replacing a plane that went into service closer to the Wright brother's first flight than today, providing plenty of opportunities for improvement. Before the first wrench was turned on this project, Boeing aggressively capitalized on this fact. Using digital design techniques has already led to an 80% reduction in assembly time for the Red Hawk, allowing more planes to be produced in a shorter period. Additionally, the Red Hawk took less than three years to go from concept to first flight, which puts it on a faster development timeline than some land-based vehicles.
The Red Hawk showcases an impressive maintenance-minded design. High wings provide upright access to inspection points, a single refueling point is within reach of the maintenance control panel, and just four people can entirely change out the engine in half a day. Plus, half of the aircraft's processor slots will be unused during assembly, leaving the rest available for future upgrades (via National Defense Magazine).
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