Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk Touches Down at Edwards for Historic Flight Test Launch

The inaugural Boeing T-7A Red Hawk advanced training aircraft for the U.S. Air Force has successfully finalized its 1,400-mile transcontinental journey to Edwards Air Force Base in California, where it will commence its subsequent phase of flight assessments. This jet, referred to as APT-2, stands as the initial production model off the assembly line and was operated by a combined U.S. Air Force and Boeing flight crew.

The T-7A Red Hawk made several stops at Air Force installations in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona for refueling and to provide base personnel an up-close view of this cutting-edge trainer prior to the final approach to Edwards. Boeing officially handed over the first Red Hawk to the Air Force on September 15.

“This is a significant milestone for the T-7 initiative,” stated Evelyn Moore, vice president and program manager for T-7 projects. “Transporting the T-7A Red Hawk to the core of the U.S. Air Force’s testing hub at Edwards for advanced flight evaluations will demonstrate the aircraft’s capabilities as a nimble and secure training platform for future aviators.”

Once the Air Force test pilots become acclimatized to the aircraft, they will broaden the flight envelope, commencing with flutter evaluations. Two additional Red Hawks will follow to assess various flight characteristics and systems as part of a stringent testing regime.

“As with most testing programs, we’ll encounter challenges and we’ll address them swiftly,” remarked Col. Kirt Cassell, division chief of the U.S. Air Force T-7A Red Hawk program. “This is the ideal team to tackle any obstacles we encounter.”

In 2018, the Air Force granted Boeing a $9.2 billion contract for the procurement of 351 T-7A advanced trainers, 46 simulators, and comprehensive support. The T-7A is set to succeed the aging T-38 aircraft in the Air Force’s fleet.