The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards AFB, California, welcomed its first Boeing T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer on November 8. The aircraft in question is known as APT-2 and was the first production-representative test aircraft from the St Louis, Missouri, assembly line.
On its journey to Edwards—piloted by Air Force and Boeing test pilots—the T-7A visited Vance AFB in Oklahoma, Kirtland AFB in New Mexico, and Arizona's Luke AFB. Vance, in particular, is expected to be an operating base for the type, replacing the 1960s-era Northrop T-38 Talon in the advanced training role for the U.S. Air Force.
“This arrival marks an exciting transition into the next phase of developmental flight,” said Major Jonathan Aronoff, T-7A test pilot. “The T-7A gives immense capability updates that will allow the Air Force to train the next generation of combat aviators. Success of first delivery is truly a testament to the joint USAF-industry team we have in place.”
Delivery of the aircraft formally kicks off the developmental testing program for the T-7A taking place at the AFFTC by the T-7A Integrated Test Force (ITF), which serves as part of the 412th Test Wing’s wider Airpower Foundations Combined Test Force, in association with the 416th Flight Test Squadron “Skulls.” The ITF will use a mix of Air Force-and Boeing-owned aircraft, flown by test pilots from both.
Since 2019 the T-7A ITF has leveraged digital capability to create a distributed test operation network, with data able to be shared in real-time by both the flight test mission control center at Edwards and Boeing facilities in St Louis. Test pilots have kept busy rehearsing test sorties in the simulator for some time. Major Bryce Turner of the 416th FLTS became the first Air Force pilot to fly the Red Hawk during a June 28 flight from St Louis.
As testing ramps up, APT-2 will fly as many as three sorties per day, initially employed for envelope expansion and flight data verification duties. Subsequently, it will be used for mission system testing.