T-X gets more interesting...

T-38 in "Aggressor" paint.
The USAF has yet to declare an open competition to replace its venerable T-38 Talon trainer.  Despite this all signs point to this one as "one-to-watch".  Competitors would very much like to prove that they still have the chops to build a fighter-type aircraft.  At its current pace, this could very well turn into another "Battle of the X-Planes".

As the USAF finalizes the capabilities it wants for the T-X, more manufacturers are deciding to forego license-building proven designs and will offer "clean sheet" designs instead.

Boeing, which has partnered up with Swedish-based Saab, was the first to do this.  This despite the initial rumors of a "downgraded" Gripen being used as the basis.

Northrop Grumman, soon after taking the lead over from its partner, BAE, has decided that it will also develop a clean sheet design instead of offering a version of BAE's Hawk.  While some were rather surprised by this announcement, one has to wonder what chances Northrop Grumman/BAE really had with the 40-year-old Hawk.

KAI's T-50 Golden Eagle
Not to be outdone, Lockheed Martin has now admitted that their famous "Skunk Works" branch has been working on a clean sheet T-X design since 2010.  This, despite pairing up with South Korean based KAI in offering the T-50 Golden Hawk.

Lockheed Martin will wait until the actual statement of requirements are released before it puts forward one design or the other.  Undoubtedly, there is pressure to keep with the T-50 design after S. Korea has ordered 40 F-35 Lightning IIs.

General Dynamics is still offering up a version of the Alenia Aermaccchi M-346 Master.  Given that the M-346 is based on the Russian Yakovlev Yak-130, it may not be the most palatable option.  It also lacks the sheer lobbying power of its competitors.

Textron AirLand Scorpion
Textron Airland LLC certainly stands out as the competition's "dark horse".  Its AirLand Scorpion could make an appearance, possibly after an engine and wing swap.

The big unknown so far is what the requirements will actually be.  While the program is intended to procure only 350 aircraft, their is potential for a lot more.  Foreign sales are almost a certainty, and there is certainly a need for an aircraft to provide an "aggressor role" for the USAF's fighter aircraft.

While the USAF pursues mega-buck aircraft like the JSF, there is still a market for lightweight, low-cost fighters.  Friendly nations that do not have the funds (or the security clearance) to buy high-end fighter aircraft still need an option.  Do not forget that the T-38's sibling, the F-5 Freedom Fighter, was meant to be just that.

With Saab/Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and possibly even Lockheed Martin going forth with clean sheet designs, there could very well be more to the T-X than a simple trainer.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE REAL REASON THE GRIPEN LOST...

Image
  For those of you wondering how Saab lost the FFCP competition, new information has come to light... According inside sources, the initial scoring of the two fighters was incredibly close.  The F-35 did indeed win the "Capability" category (worth up to 60%) while the Gripen E ended up being ahead on both price (worth 20%) and industrial offsets (worth the remaining 20%).   According to my source April Furst, who is currently serving an internship in the House of Commons.  The ultimate decision was made rather hastily while the final scores were being tallied up.   "Due to COVID restrictions and renovations, the FFCP committee were forced to convene in a remote office located in the basement of the Parliament building.  You could tell it wasn't used very often.  Lots of cobwebs, and the whole place smelled musty and moldy.   "The committee members were doing their thing, going down each individual line of the respective offers.  It was actually pretty close, by
Read more

FINAL THOUGHTS

Image
  So…. Now what? The process is still far from over but what is left is mostly mundane and bureaucratic.  Stuff like finalizing costs, delivery dates, etc. Hopefully, Canada can now focus it procurement efforts on  revitalizing the rest of the Canadian Armed Forces.  With fighters and frigates out of the way; it’s high time we look into replacing our submarines, MRTTs, and other.  Recent lessons from the war in Ukraine has also made it clear that UCAVs are the future of warfare.  Canada best catch up. Was all this for nothing?  No.  I do not believe so.  Even though Canada is still choosing the F-35, it is doing so in a much more rational way.  We have taken the time to evaluate our needs.  Taken a clear look at the options.  We have arrived at a decision removed from political whim.  Ultimately, Canada is getting a lot more aircraft than initially planned.  We are also getting later build F-35s.  Now, more of the kinks are out.  These newer aircraft should be both more reliable and mo
Read more

Fighter Jet Fight Club: Gripen NG vs. Super Hornet!

Image
I will be honest...  I have been dreading this installment of Fighter Jet Fight Club.  I tend to root for the underdog in any competition, but what happens when underdogs have to compete against each other?  Both of these aircraft have a 0-2 record for FJFC, yet both are clearly crowd favorites in the comment section. Our contestants today are two of the biggest value propositions in the fighter world today.  Both are "modernized" versions of aircraft that have been flying since the 80s.  Neither make promises of being the most dominant force in the skies, but they do promise a "90%" solution at "50%" of the cost.  Most importantly, both aircraft are "tried and true" designs that have provided years of faithful service.  Despite this, they are often overlooked in favor of newer, flashier aircraft like the F-35 Lightning II. Which aircraft will see redemption here today? Just remember the rules . Air-to-Ground: Infiltration/Pe
Read more