Boeing said it had evaluated the program and concluded that the T-7A Red Hawk does not meet the Navy’s UJTS requirements. The aircraft had previously been selected by the U.S. Air Force.
“Boeing is focused on meeting our commitments, and we bid for programs where we believe we can provide the right solution tailored to our customers’ needs and requirements,” Boeing said. “After careful evaluation, we have determined the T-7A does not meet the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System requirements.”
“We have therefore informed the Navy that we will not bid on the current RFP. We remain committed to delivering the T-7A as a modern, growth-oriented training solution for 4th, 5th and 6th generation pilots as requirements evolve,” Boeing said.
“We look forward to providing and sustaining both current and future capabilities for the Navy,” Boeing said. The issue was reportedly linked to the GE Aerospace F404 engine, which powers several versions of the F/A-18 fighter now used by the U.S. Navy.
Lockheed Martin had earlier withdrawn from the competition. It had offered the TF-50N aircraft with Korea Aerospace Industries, which was also powered by the F404 engine.
The withdrawals leave two teams in the competition. Sierra Nevada Corp. is bidding with Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., while Leonardo is teamed with Textron.
Sierra Nevada said it designed its new Freedom training aircraft with carrier landing capability in mind. The U.S. Navy, however, has decided that this feature will not be required in the new aircraft.
Freedom is based on a design previously offered to the U.S. Air Force. Its prototype has not yet been built.
Textron and Leonardo are offering the Beechcraft M-346N. The aircraft is already used as a trainer and light attack aircraft in several countries.
Freedom is expected to be powered by two Williams FJ44-4M engines. The M-346N uses Honeywell F124 engines.
The aircraft withdrawn from the competition were single-engine designs. The remaining offers are twin-engine aircraft.
A month ago, the U.S. Navy raised the spending ceiling for the UJTS engineering and manufacturing development phase. The ceiling increased from $1.8 billion to $2.7 billion based on feedback from the March request for proposals.
The Navy plans to order 216 new aircraft under the program. The contract is expected to be awarded in mid-2027.
Boeing plans to focus on the development of sixth-generation combat aircraft. Its design has already been selected by the U.S. Air Force and received the designation F-47.
The competition for the U.S. Navy’s future combat aircraft, known as F/A-XX, is still underway. Boeing’s competitor in that program is Northrop Grumman.
The Navy plans to select the F/A-XX supplier in August 2026. Full operational capability for units equipped with production aircraft is currently expected around 2040.
