The contract was awarded to Boeing Defense, Space & Security as part of the T-7 Advanced Pilot Training Program. The decision marks a key step in transitioning the aircraft from development to production.
The approval follows a year of coordinated progress under an “active management” strategy. The effort involved collaboration between the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command and Boeing.
The approach aligns with Department of the Air Force acquisition transformation directives. It is designed to manage programmatic and operational risks while accelerating delivery of new capabilities.
“Reaching Milestone C is a testament to the dedicated government and industry teams who have worked diligently to overcome complex technical hurdles,” said William Bailey, performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. “The T-7A is a pivotal program 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 Air Force aircraft designed and built using fully digital methods. This process is intended to streamline development, production and sustainment.
The aircraft is designed to prepare student pilots for advanced platforms, including fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation fighters and bombers. Its systems aim to provide a more realistic and advanced training environment.
The Milestone C approval is part of a phased production strategy. The program office will seek approval for each of the first three low-rate initial production lots individually.
This approach allows the incorporation of insights from ongoing developmental testing. It is intended to reduce concurrency risks before committing to larger production volumes.
“Receiving Milestone C approval is monumental,” said Rodney Stevens, program executive officer for Training and director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Training Directorate. “It signifies our confidence in the aircraft’s design and our readiness to begin producing this game-changing capability at rate with Air Education and Training Command.”
The broader program includes plans to deliver 351 aircraft and 46 ground-based simulators over the next decade. These systems will be deployed across five Air Education and Training Command bases.
“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,” said Matthew Leard, director of Plans, Programs, Requirements, and International Affairs at Air Education and Training Command. “Replacing our 60-plus-year-old T-38s is a top priority.”
“The T-7A’s advanced systems will give our students a far more realistic training environment, ensuring they are prepared for the cockpits of the future,” he added. The program aims to achieve initial operational capability by 2027.
The program office will continue work on the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. It will also support training of instructors and maintainers as the system is introduced into service.
