USAF T-X contest

This is the replacement thread for the other one that’s broke and not showing.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-may-not-be-able-to-afford-t-x-jet-trainer-project-382628/

USAF may not be able to afford T-X jet trainer project
By: DAVE MAJUMDAR ORLANDO 10 hours ago Source:

Due to its many competing budgetary priorities, the US Air Force may not have the funds to procure its prospective T-X jet trainer, which the service hopes will one day replace its vintage Northrop T-38 Talons. But the difficulties may be further compounded by a Congressional sequestration maoneuvre that will automatically cut US defense outlays by 10% every year for 10 years beginning on 1 March unless a deal is reached to stop it.

Part of the reason is because the USAF can live with the T-38 for the time being. But, the question is for how long, Rice says. Though the venerable T-38 is in no imminent danger of falling out of the sky, as time goes by, Rice says it becomes less effective at preparing new pilots to fly fifth-generation fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35.

The USAF is already training prospective F-22 pilots on the T-38, but those students have to undertake an eight-flight “bridge course” in the Lockheed F-16, Rice says. But as the number of F-35s in the USAF arsenal grows, using F-16s to train those pilots becomes impractical because there simply are not enough of those jets to train that many students. “I can’t produce enough F-16 pilots today for the air force,” Rice says. “I can’t afford to get into a situation where I’ve got to use F-16s in large numbers to train into the F-35.”

The USAF needs to finds a way to train F-35 pilots that does not involve F-16s, Rice says. “That has to be part of the calculus with T-X,” he adds. Potential candidates for a contest include the Alenia Aermacchi/General Dynamics T-100 – a version of the T-346, BAE Systems/Northrop Grumman Hawk and the Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed T-50, plus a potential new design from Boeing.

It is very clear now that the T-X trainer must be able to replace F-16D from the training fleet.

And the deal will likely be a fleet lease instead of a purchase, so the foreign government financing is a critical part of the equation.