Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems have teamed up to offer a next-generation pilot training system aimed at preparing Royal Air Force pilots for the era of advanced combat aircraft.
Under the UK’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review, the three companies will support a new Advanced Jet Trainer program, with BAE leading the effort and overseeing UK-based final assembly, creating high-value domestic jobs.
The collaboration, which will make use of the T-7A Red Hawk, integrates live and synthetic training capabilities and associated mission systems, while also exploring opportunities to expand the UK supply chain around the aircraft.
“The T-7 was developed as the world’s best solution for future pilot training,” Lars Tossman, Saab’s head of Aeronautics, said. He added that “the UK can gain a worthy successor to the Hawk, capable of training pilots for decades to come.”
Simon Barnes, Group Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Air sector, highlighted the economic and operational benefits of the program.
The T-7A Red Hawk, selected by the US Air Force in 2018 to replace aging T-38 Talons, is designed to train pilots for fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation fighters such as the F-35 Lightning II and the F-22 Raptor.
Its advanced, integrated training system combines live flying with virtual and constructive simulation, allowing pilots to practice complex missions safely and cost-effectively.
In the US, the T-7A is already being used at the air force’s Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph for pilot training, where it is expected to fully replace the T-38 by the late 2020s.
Boeing and Saab have also marketed the T-7A to allied nations including India, South Korea, and European NATO members, emphasizing its ability to train pilots for both legacy fighters.
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