The U.S. Air Force’s new trainer, the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk, won't be operational until 2028, another year behind schedule. Originally, the T-7 was supposed to be operational in 2024, but tests have found an ongoing problem with the T-7’s ejection seat, resulting in multiple delays. The ejection seat is especially important for the T-7, as the jet will be used to train new aviators.
Replacing a Legend
The T-7’s arrival should mark a bittersweet moment for the Air Force, as the T-7 is slated to replace the aging T-38 Talon, one of the longest-tenured aircraft in the service (along with the C-130, B-52, and U-2). The T-38 has been the primary jet trainer for incoming pilots since the 1950s, that’s multiple generations of aviators trained on the T-38, so losing that lineage, such a sentimental piece of Air Force history, will mark a sad day.
But that day keeps getting pushed back and back, forcing the T-38 to prove itself just a little longer. Indeed, the T-38 has served valiantly in its role. When the T-38 first arrived on the scene, in 1959, she was the world's first supersonic trainer, with a top speed of Mach 1.3.
The two-seat trainer has a long-slender fuselage, which still manages to accommodate twin General Electric J85-GE-5A engines. The twin engines allow for a 33,000-foot-per-minute rate of climb and a maximum service ceiling of 50,000 feet. The T-38 is relatively lightweight, at 7,200 pounds, and small, at twelve feet high and forty-six feet long, just large enough to serve her purpose as a jet trainer.
Introducing the Red Hawk
Produced in collaboration between Boeing and Saab, the T-7 Red Hawk bears a glancing resemblance to the T-7. The obvious difference is that the T-7 has twin vertical stabilizers and one engine (the General Electric F404-GE-103) whereas the T-38 has one vertical stabilizer and two engines. Also, the T-7 has what appears to be a proportionally larger cockpit. The dimensions of the two aircraft are otherwise fairly similar, though.
The T-7 is thirteen feet high and forty-six feet long, with an empty weight of 7,165 pounds – nearly identical to the T-38. The T-7 is slower, however, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.975, a touch slow of being capable of breaking the sound barrier.
According to Defense One, “the Air Force plans to buy a total of 351 T-7 jets, including five test aircraft.” As of early 2024, the Air Force had accepted delivery of three test T-7s with two more expected soon. “Delivery of the final two jets had been delayed due to quality problems with parts and supply chain woes.” Boeing has reportedly lost $1.3 billion on the T-7, so far, but that was part of a business strategy in which the company would win military contracts with lowball bids with the understanding that money would be lost in early production – but would be made up in mass profits on the back end with “later lots and decades of support contracts.”
Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
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