The US Air Force (USAF) has cleared the T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer for production following Milestone C approval on 23 April 2026.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security was awarded a contract valued at $219m, covering 14 aircraft, as well as spares, support equipment, and required training.
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The approval follows a year of joint progress under an “active management” approach by the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command (AETC), and Boeing.
This strategy is designed to reduce both programmatic and operational risks while expediting delivery to training squadrons.
William Bailey, who performed the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics said: “Reaching Milestone C is a testament to the dedicated government and industry teams who have worked diligently to overcome complex technical hurdles.
“The T-7A is a pivotal programme for the future of our combat air forces, and entering production brings us one step closer to putting this essential capability into the hands of our instructor pilots and students.”
The T-7A Red Hawk is the first aircraft for the Air Force to be fully designed and built using digital engineering methods.
The programme aims to provide the skills required to transition pilots into fourth, fifth, and sixth generation fighters and bombers through advanced training systems.
The current plan calls for a phased production approach. The T-7A Program Office will request approval separately for each of the first three low-rate initial production lots.
This process allows teams to apply data from ongoing developmental testing before proceeding with further procurement.
Over the next decade, the Air Force plans to acquire a total of 351 T-7A Red Hawk aircraft and 46 ground-based training simulators for five AETC bases.
Initial Operational Capability for the T-7A Red Hawk is planned for 2027. It will replace the T-7A Red Hawk, which has served for over 60 years.
The programme will continue with the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase, focusing on training the first group of instructors and maintainers for the upgraded pilot training system.
AETC Plans, Programs, Requirements, and International Affairs director brigadier general Matthew Leardsaid: “Our mission is to train the next generation of combat aviators, and the T-7A Red Hawk is the tool we need to do it. Replacing our 60-plus-year-old T-38s is a top priority.”
