The Undergraduate Jet Training System program covers up to 216 advanced jet trainers and a simulator package. The Navy plans to select a supplier in 2027, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2032.
Sierra Nevada said in a statement to media that it was prepared to participate following a review of the requirements and how the competition is organized. It had proposed a new aircraft, Freedom Fighter, which the company said would cost approximately 40% less to operate than aircraft already on the market.
The Navy’s requirements do not include the ability to operate from aircraft carriers. That phase of training is instead intended to take place in simulators and the operational aircraft that pilots will ultimately fly.
