Naomi Cooper
The first test version of the U.S. Air Force’s T-7A Red Hawk has arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California where developmental flight testing for the Boeing-built advanced pilot training aircraft will begin.
The aircraft, dubbed APT-2, traveled from Boeing’s production facility in St. Louis, Missouri, and made stops at air bases in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona to refuel, the defense contractor said Thursday.
Boeing conducted the maiden flight of the first T-7A Red Hawk pilot training aircraft in June and delivered the first test version to the Air Force in September.
The T-7A is a digitally designed trainer jet that will support fighter and bomber pilot training and replace the service branch’s legacy T-38 aircraft.
Boeing partners with Saab to manufacture and deliver T-7A trainer aircraft to the Air Force under a potential 16-year, $9.2 billion contract awarded in 2018.
