Boeing decided the T-7A doesn’t meet the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Coaching System necessities and thus determined to not bid for the T-45’s alternative.
In a shock transfer, Boeing has determined to not participate within the competitors that may choose the successor of the T-45 Goshawk. The corporate stated in a brief assertion on June 12, 2026, that its T-7 Purple Hawk doesn’t meet the necessities of Undergraduate Jet Coaching System (UJTS), resulting in the choice.
Right here is the total assertion:
“Boeing is targeted on assembly our commitments, and we bid for packages the place we consider we are able to present the precise resolution tailor-made to our prospects’ wants and necessities. After cautious analysis, we’ve got decided the T-7A doesn’t meet the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Coaching System necessities. Now we have due to this fact knowledgeable the Navy that we are going to not bid on the present RFP. We stay dedicated to delivering the T-7A as a contemporary, growth-oriented coaching resolution for 4th, fifth and sixth technology pilots as necessities evolve. We sit up for offering and sustaining each present and future capabilities for the Navy.”
The corporate didn’t disclose which necessities weren’t met. Nevertheless, Aviation Week and Breaking Protection reported that, in line with an organization spokesperson, the T-7’s F404 engine would want long-cycle growth to satisfy UJTS engine qualification necessities, which might hamper Boeing’s potential to shortly attain preliminary operational functionality.
It must be famous that the Navy is aware of effectively that engine, as it’s the similar that powers the F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet. Boeing is now the second firm to depart the UJTS competitors.
The truth is, in March 2026, Lockheed Martin notified the U.S. Navy the choice to not pursue the bid after it decided the TF-50N “wouldn’t be one of the best resolution for this program as a result of required stage of U.S. content material and different causes.” Notably, the TF-50N makes use of the identical F404 engine.
This now leaves solely SNC and Beechcraft within the competitors. SNC is providing its Freedom coach with Northrop Grumman and Normal Atomics, whereas Beechcraft is providing the M-346 via a partnership of guardian firm Textron Aviation Protection and Leonardo.
SNC’s proposal is described as a clean-sheet design additionally in a position to conduct service operations, though it’s nonetheless on the drafting board. Alternatively, the M-346N is a variant of the M-346 coach that has been flying operationally since 2015 for over 100,000 flight hours.
The Navy launched the long-waited Request for Proposal (RFP) in March 2026. The RFP confirmed as soon as once more that the service doesn’t plan for the new coach jet to land on plane carriers or to conduct Discipline Service Touchdown Apply (FCLP) to the touch down.
In a while, in Might 2026, the Navy raised the price ceiling for the Engineering and Manufacturing Improvement section by about $1 billion. The choice was based mostly on suggestions obtained after the discharge of the RFP, in line with statements.
The RFP
The U.S. Navy has launched on Mar. 26, 2026, the ultimate Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Undergraduate Jet Coaching System (UJTS) program, which can change the getting older T-45 Goshawk coach fielded in 1991. The service is seeking to purchase a brand new plane on an “accelerated procured timeline” because it retains dealing with issues with the T-45.
The RFP covers the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Improvement (EMD) section, in addition to the procurement of the primary lot of Low-Price Preliminary Manufacturing (LRIP) plane, Floor-Based mostly Coaching Programs (GBTS) and Interim Contractor Logistic Providers (I-CLS). The contract’s award is predicted in March 2027.
An estimated fielding schedule hooked up to the RFP confirms that the service intends to acquire 216 plane, with the primary lot of seven LRIP plane to be delivered in 2032. The manufacturing would then enhance to 12 plane in 2023 and 20 in 2034, earlier than a full-rate manufacturing of 25 plane per 12 months from 2035.
These plane shall be divided amongst three areas, with Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Mississippi, receiving 95 plane beginning in 2033, NAS Kingsville, Texas, receiving 95 plane from 2039, and the remaining 26 plane going to NAS Pensacola, Florida, from 2042.
The fee shall be additionally an vital a part of the choice course of. Key parameters in the price analysis will contemplate if the value is affordable and sensible, stated the service.
The brand new plane will notably be utilized in a a lot completely different approach in comparison with the T-45, which has been used to coach future naval aviators to land on plane carriers. The truth is, the Navy stated “the UJTS air automobile will solely be required to conduct Discipline Service Touchdown Apply (FCLP) to wave off.”
As we beforehand reported, an excellent portion of the coaching command’s syllabus is centered across the FCLP, which permits new pilots to coach on land bases for your complete method and touchdown maneuver as carried out on the plane service, simply wanting the arrested touchdown. With the brand new requirement, future scholar pilots will solely carry out the method section of the present FCLP, going round as soon as reached the minimums, with out touching down on the runway.
The Navy says that this resolution, which units a totally completely different route in comparison with the T-45 Goshawk and, beforehand, the T-2 Buckeye, is “attributable to developments in operational platform touchdown modes and in ground-based simulation.” This implies the brand new naval aviators will rely extra on automation and carry out full FCLPs solely within the flight simulator.
This has sparked controversy, because the service is now planning to maneuver this a part of the coaching to the Discipline Alternative Squadrons (FRS), the place the newly appointed naval aviators transition to their assigned plane. That would appear counterproductive as FRSs fly far more costly plane, thus rising the price of coaching.
Nevertheless, this selection has additionally reflections on the timeline. The truth is, eradicating the FCLP portion of the coaching program from UJTS permits a a lot faster fielding of the brand new plane, which may now be additionally an already operational sort.
Thus, the new coach plane won’t require complicated and prolonged structural modifications to be tailored to the brand new position. Usually, an plane that has to entice on the service and launch from a catapult, or no less than conduct FCLPs, needs to be designed from the bottom up on that premise as a result of the structural design must account for very important stresses throughout service operations.
