Forward of an anticipated competitors to interchange the RAF’s Hawk T2s, Saab, Boeing, and BAE Techniques have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on a pilot coaching system centered on the T-7 Purple Hawk.
In a press launch printed on Nov. 18, 2025, the Vice President of Boeing Protection, House & Safety’s Enterprise Growth & Technique, Bernd Peters, stated “Collectively, Boeing with Saab and now BAE Techniques will provide progressive coaching options to greatest put together RAF pilots for the long run, together with superior fourth-, fifth- and sixth-generation fighters.”
He added that “This collaboration enhances the very best of our technological capabilities, strengthens the transatlantic industrial base and presents alternatives for cooperative growth.”
Boeing and Saab have collectively produced the T-7 Purple Hawk as a substitute for the U.S. Air Drive’s long-serving T-38 Talon. The T-7 is a single-engine jet coach which made its maiden flight (because the Boeing T-X) in 2016, with the primary unit delivered to the USAF in 2023. Not like the T-38, the T-7 shouldn’t be designed for supersonic flight, however can obtain transonic speeds as much as Mach 0.975 utilizing an afterburning Common Electrical F404 turbofan. Preliminary working functionality is slated for 2027, regardless of a choice to delay the plane’s manufacturing section.
The requirement for a brand new Royal Air Drive jet coach has slowly emerged over the previous few years, with the then Chief of the Air Workers (now Chief of the Defence Workers) Sir Wealthy Knighton expressing a want to interchange the Hawk T2 as quickly as doable. Initially scheduled to retire in 2040, the Hawk T2 has been tormented by availability points stemming from engine reliability. Knighton stated the air power solely will get “half of what we must always get” from the plane. Moreover, the RAF’s remaining fleet of Hawk T1 plane, which serve solely with the Royal Air Drive Aerobatic Group, or the Purple Arrows, are resulting from be withdrawn in 2030.
Lastly, the requirement was dedicated to paper within the 2025 Strategic Defence Evaluation, which referred to as for a brand new “cost-effective jet coach”. A subsequent assertion from a defence minister confirmed that each the Hawk T1 and T2 have been into consideration to get replaced with this new but to be decided plane kind.
Initially seeming to be a much less enticing choice as a result of lack of UK involvement within the programme, the inclusion of BAE Techniques throughout the consortium breathes new life into the idea of T-7s for the RAF. BAE Techniques, in its numerous historic guises, was chargeable for the design and manufacturing of the Hawk plane. Regardless of present points, the Hawk has ably served the UK’s armed forces as a jet coach, aggressor, and even briefly an air defence plane, for nearly fifty years – and by the point of its withdrawal the Hawk T1 may have surpassed that milestone.
We’re collaborating with @BoeingDefense and @Saab on a subsequent era pilot coaching system based mostly on the T-7 coach plane.
Initially this work will give attention to responding to the UK @RoyalAirForce’s requirement for a future coach plane. pic.twitter.com/dbJ6dzqoCP
— BAE Techniques Air (@BAESystemsAir) November 18, 2025
“Our new collaboration with Boeing and Saab will allow us to current a compelling provide to the UK Royal Air Drive and our world prospects, leveraging the most recent tech innovation in coaching techniques and a world-class jet coach plane,” stated Simon Barnes, Group Managing Director of BAE Techniques’ Air sector. “We’re dedicated to making sure this resolution presents the very best general consequence for the nation to assist the UK’s fight air readiness and ship financial profit.”
Sturdy Competitors
BAE Techniques’ plant at Warton Airfield, residence to last meeting traces for the Eurofighter Storm and the Hawk, is more likely to be a magnet for the British firm’s participation within the challenge – which is confirmed to incorporate UK-based last meeting. With no additional orders for the Hawk in place, the manufacturing line might be redeveloped for the T-7 and permit for the RAF’s coaching plane to be British-built, even when not British-designed. This is a crucial issue to think about, particularly whereas Aeralis – a UK agency which has acquired funding from the Ministry of Defence however has but to provide a prototype of its novel modular jet plane – has struck offers for a last meeting line at Glasgow Prestwick Airport ought to they obtain orders.
Different anticipated bids embody the Turkish Hürjet in addition to Leonardo’s M-345 and/or M-346. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was proven an instance of the Hürjet whereas touring a Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) plant final month, the place it was introduced that Turkey is to purchase 20 Typhoons via the UK in a contract value £8 billion. This order heightened expectations {that a} collaboration between BAE Techniques, as a significant associate within the Eurofighter consortium, may staff up with TAI for a reciprocal order of Hürjets for the UK and supply a British last meeting line. This now, clearly, appears unlikely to come back to fruition, and leaves TAI with few choices out there for a UK partnership.
Leonardo have their very own UK facility at Yeovil, although that is tailor-made for rotary wing plane and has solely a grass runway. Plans have been afoot for a tough floor runway to be laid for a number of years, although even when this does happen the runway continues to be restricted in its size at just below 4,000 ft. Theoretically, although, this might nonetheless allow accomplished, excessive efficiency fastened wing plane like a jet coach to take-off from the sphere and reposition elsewhere – just like the close by MoD Boscombe Down – for additional trials and testing. Leonardo have beforehand confirmed that the corporate would contemplate UK-based last meeting as a part of its proposal.
@Leonardo_live presents UK last meeting of M-346 as Hawk substitute want grows. From interview at the moment at DSEI present in London. The @RoyalAirForce future AJT and Purple Arrows successor contest – but to launch – is already nice to cowl! pic.twitter.com/hAX578JjTJ
— Craig Hoyle (@FlightAcesHigh) September 10, 2025
Italy, the first consumer of the M-345 and M-346, is because of have a future fighter fleet primarily an identical to the UK’s – that includes Typhoons, F-35As, F-35Bs, and ultimately the plane that outcomes from the World Fight Air Programme (GCAP). As such there’s important overlap within the two nations’ necessities for quick jet coaching and that is fertile floor for additional shut collaboration between the Royal Air Drive and Italian Air Drive. RAF pilots have already accomplished coaching programs utilizing the M-346 at Decimomannu Air Base and can nearly actually be referred to as upon for suggestions because the RAF considers its choices over the following a number of years.
