https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
Skip to main content
  • Market Sector
    • Aerospace
    • Air Transport
    • MRO
    • Defense and Space
    • Business Aviation
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Connected Aerospace
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Manufacturing & Supply Chain
      • Unmanned & Urban Aviation
      • Commercial Space
      • Program Management
      • Sustainability
    • Air Transport
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports & Routes
      • Airlines & Lessors
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
    • MRO
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Supply Chain
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Workforce & Training
      • Sustainability
    • Defense and Space
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Sensors & Electronic Warfare
      • Missile Defense & Weapons
      • Supply Chain
      • Budget, Policy & Operations
      • Space
      • Sustainability
    • Business Aviation
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports, FBOs & Suppliers
      • Flight Deck
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
  • Marketplace
  • Services
    • Services
      • Advertising
      • Marketing Services
      • Fleet, Data & APIs
      • Research & Consulting
      • Network and Route Planning
      • Marketplace
  • Store
    • Market Sector

      • Aerospace
      • Air Transport
      • MRO
      • Defense and Space
      • Business Aviation
    • Type View All Products
      • Intelligence Bundles
        • AWIN - Premium
        • AWIN - Aerospace and Defense
        • AWIN - Business Aviation
        • AWIN - Commercial Aviation
      • Market Briefings
        • Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
        • Aviation Daily
        • SpeedNews
        • The Weekly of Business Aviation
      • Directories
        • Air Charter Guide
        • Aviation Week Marketplace
        • Route Exchange
        • The Engine Yearbook
      • Data Services
        • AC-U-KWIK
        • Aircraft Bluebook
        • Airportdata.com
        • Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM)
        • CAPA – Centre for Aviation
        • Fleet Discovery Civil
        • Fleet Discovery Military
        • Fleet & MRO Forecast
        • MRO Prospector
      • Publications
        • Air Transport World
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology - Inside MRO
        • Business & Commercial Aviation
        • CAPA - Airline Leader
        • Routes magazine
        • ShowNews
      • Resources
        • Downloadable Reports
  • Events
    • Events View All Events
      • MRO
        • MRO Americas
        • MRO Asia
        • MRO Baltics, Eastern Europe and Russia (BEER)
        • MRO Europe
        • MRO Latin America
        • MRO Middle East
        • MRO Transatlantic
        • Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS)
      • Commercial Aviation
        • Aero-Engines Americas
        • Aero-Engines Asia
        • Aero-Engines Europe
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference (ASC)
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference - Europe (ACE)
        • Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance
      • Aerospace and Defense
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions Conference (ADMA)
        • Aerospace Manufacturing Conference (AMC)
        • Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference (RMC)
        • DefenseChain Conference (DCPE)
      • Air Transport
        • CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit
        • CAPA Latin America Aviation & LCCs Summit
        • CAPA Live
        • Routes Americas 2021
        • Routes Asia 2021
        • Routes Europe 2021
        • Routes Reconnected
        • TakeOff North America 2020
        • World Aviation Outlook Summit 2020
        • World Routes 2021
      • Business Aviation
        • Business Aviation Week 2020
        • Business & General Aviation Conference (BGA)
      • Awards
        • 20 Twenties
        • Aviation Week Laureates Awards
        • Program Excellence Awards and Banquet
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming Webinars
  • About
    • About Aviation Week Network
      • Our Story
      • Content and Data Team
      • Aviation Week & Space Technology 100-Year
    • Contact Us
      • Subscriber Services
      • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
      • Content Sales
      • Events
      • PR & Communications
      • Content Licensing and Reprints
      • FAQ
  • Log In
  • Register
  • My Account
    • Profile
    • Sign Out
  • AWIN Access
  • My cart
  1. Back to Defense and Space

Share

Inside Boeing’s T-X Design

Graham Warwick

Assessing the T-X

Mark Nankivil/The Aero Experience

It was a competition too close to call, but in the end, Boeing took the T-X prize after offering to deliver up to 475 advanced jet trainers and 120 simulators to the U.S. Air Force for no more than $9.2 billion—less than half the $19.7 billion the service estimated it would cost to replace its 1960s-vintage Northrop T-38 Talons. The initial $813 million delivery order covers engineering and manufacturing development of the first five aircraft and seven simulators and supports initial operational capability by 2024.

Familiar Aerodynamics

Boeing

Aerodynamically, the T-X draws heavily on the departure-resistant design of Boeing’s F/A-18 fighter, with a similar shoulder-mounted trapezoidal wing with leading-edge root extensions, twin fins and all-moving stabilators—although the tails are attached to F-15-style booms. The T-X even has small vortex control fences at the inboard wing leading edges similar to those on the legacy Hornet.

Proven Propulsion

Boeing

The T-X is powered by a single General Electric F404 afterburning turbofan—the same engine used in partner Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen fighter and the rival Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace T-50A trainer as well as in the legacy F/A-18 Hornet. Tucked up under the wing leading-edge extensions as on the F/A-18, the fixed engine inlets share characteristics with both the Gripen and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. 

Big-Picture Cockpit

Boeing

Boeing calls it “stadium seating” and other purpose-designed trainers have it: Vertically staggered cockpits that provide the instructor in the rear seat better visibility over the student in the front. Both T-X cockpits feature sidestick controls and touchscreen large-area displays—as used in the F-35 and being fitted to the advanced F-15 and planned for the Block 3 F/A-18E/F—with a low-profile head-up display. 

Simplified Maintenance

Boeing

Boeing says its T-X is designed to be maintained, noting that the high-set wing provides stand-up access to doors and inspection points. Drop-down panels on the lower fuselage provide quick access to systems, and the single-point refueling port and maintenance control panel are on the same side to speed turnarounds. Interchangeable left/right rudders, stabilators and actuators simplify the supply chain.

Low-Cost Manufacturing

Boeing

Boeing has commented on the ease with which its two T-X demonstrators came together during assembly, and advanced manufacturing is likely critical to the aircraft’s unexpectedly low unit cost. The T-X is to be assembled in St. Louis, where the F-15 and F/A-18 are produced, and partner Saab has committed to produce its part of the aircraft in the U.S., at a location yet to be selected.

Lockheed MartinT-50As

Leonardo DRS’s T-100

Leonardo

After teaming first with General Dynamics and then with Raytheon, Leonardo finally offered the T-100 for T-X on its own, through its U.S. subsidiary Leonardo DRS, with final assembly to be performed in a new facility to be built in Tuskagee, Alabama. The M-346, on which the T-100 is based, continues in production in Italy. More than 70 aircraft have been sold to Italy, Israel, Poland and Singapore.

Previous
Next

We take a closer look at Boeing’s T-X and ask what happens now for the rival aircraft. 

 

Graham Warwick

Graham leads Aviation Week's coverage of technology, focusing on engineering and technology across the aerospace industry, with a special focus on identifying technologies of strategic importance to aviation, aerospace and defense.

Aviation Week Intelligence Network
Monitor the market and connect your business to the people, programs and proprietary data driving the Aerospace & Defense market - only available with AWIN.

ASD_AWIN_thumbnail_270

Stay Connected.
Stay Informed
Grow Your Business.

Learn How

Follow us on

Markets

  • Aerospace
  • Air Transport
  • MRO
  • Defense and Space
  • Business Aviation

Products

  • AWIN Intelligence Bundles
  • Market Briefings
  • Publications
  • Data Services
  • Directories
  • Resources

Contact Us

  • Subscriber Services
  • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
  • Content Sales
  • Events
  • PR & Communications
  • Content Licensing and Reprints
  • FAQ

Other Resources

  • Aviation Week Marketplace
  • Knowledge Center
  • Newsletters
  • ShowNews
Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use