Ramona Adams
Lockheed Martin has conducted the first flight test of a second trainer aircraft that the company plans to offer in the U.S. Air Force‘s T-X trainer competition.
The company said Monday the demonstration of its second production-ready T-50A aircraft occurred in Greenville, South Carolina, where Lockheed’s final assembly and checkout facility is located.
T-50A is designed to train pilots of F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II aircraft as well as fourth-generation fighter platforms.
Lockheed added it will also offer an accompanying T-50A ground-based training system equipped with immersive and synchronized technologies.
Leonardo’s DRS Technologies subsidiary also plans to bid on the T-X contract with CAE‘s U.S. arm and International Turbine Engine Company.
Boeing teamed up with Saab to jointly compete in the program while Sierra Nevada partnered with Turkish Aerospace Industries to participate in the same competition.
The T-X program aims to replace the Air Force’s fleet of Northrop Grumman-built T-38 Talon aircraft.
