The Boeing T-7A Red Hawk achieved three recent milestones, propelling the advanced pilot trainer for the US Air Force forward.

T-7A aircraft APT-3, one of five engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, underwent rigorous testing at Eglin Air Force Base, enduring temperatures ranging from -25°F to 110°F. Earlier, Boeing and the Air Force conducted a dynamic sled test in February focused on design enhancements in the ejection seat and canopy fracturing system to reduce the risk of injury. Also, Boeing completed development in February of a new software flight control law and since then, has flown the aircraft more than 10 times, reaching 25-degree angle of attack. Additionally, three of those flights demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to achieve fine tracking while in high angle of attack, a key capability for pilot training.

While the T-7A Red Hawk continues to progress in testing and flight completions, Boeing is also building a new production line for low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the T-7A. The company is slated to load the first forward and aft fuselages for LRIP midyear as suppliers are already underway developing parts for production.