http://www.airinternational.com | 85BOEING BTX-1 MILITARY
Stadium seating
last December, with the most recent received
in May. We have answered all of their
questions. Commander of the Air Education
and Training Command, Lieutenant General
Kwast has confi rmed the Air Force is on track
for a July 2018 contract award, so we would
expect to receive, and quickly respond to, the
fi nal proposal revisions very shortly.”
Torgerson continued: “Boeing considered
its experience with training systems, upon
which it relied as it analysed various aircraft
in order to determine which might meet the
projected T-X requirements, including the
T-45 Goshawk [a version of the BAE Systems
Hawk jet trainer]. In the end, as you recall the
Hawk dropped out”.
Back in November 1981, the then
McDonnell Douglas, teamed with the then
British Aerospace, was selected as the winner
of the US Navy’s VTX-TS programme, which
resulted in the development of the T-45
Goshawk carrier capable jet trainer, 221 of
which were delivered between 1988 and- The VTX-TS programme also included
ground-based trainers, a training integration
system and contractor logistics support. The
T-45A entered service in 1991 and is currently
projected to remain in service beyond 2030 as
the primary aircraft used to train all US Navy
and US Marine Corps fi ghter pilots, instruct
Naval Flight O cers and train students from a
variety of naval air arms.
Torgerson added: “We talked with Saab
and discussed if, together, we could o er an
a ordable solution using a modifi ed existing
design to win the US Air Force programme.
In the end we determined we were not able
to use an existing Saab aircraft [the JAS 39
Gripen]. So, we talked with other aircraft
manufacturers about o the shelf options.
Once we saw the evolving US Air Force
trainer requirements, programme timing, we
decided we had enough time to create a new
aircraft that could provide the customer with
a purpose-built trainer and training system.
Finding a partner made sense and it turned
out that Boeing and Saab are great partners”.
Boeing revealed its partnership with Saab
in December 2013. At the time President
and CEO of Saab, Hakan Buske said: “Saab
has already invested in the development of
the T-X advanced trainer aircraft. If Saab and
Boeing win, Saab will carry that commitment
a step forward into manufacturing and
production in the United States”.
Ted Torgerson said Boeing entered thecompetition with a new jet trainer aircraft
and training system designed specifi cally to
meet the US Air Force trainer requirements.
He said: “Over time the requirements evolved.
We rapidly built a cohesive team with Saab
and our other supply base partners; that
is not always easy to do. Plus, we did this
quickly and created a close team to develop,
manufacture, integrate, test and fl y an aircraft
within 36 months”.Design features
Boeing’s BTX-1 model is designed to look, feel
and perform like a fi ghter aircraft featuring
a stable and maneuverable airframe with a
twin-tail design that give improved stability,
excellent control, and inherent speed break
functionality. Boeing is reluctant to release
details of its BTX-1 specifi cations but did
confi rm to AIR International that the aircraft
has a dry wing, with what Boeing terms
“growth options”, a proven landing gear
design, and a landing speed slower than a
T-38 for improved safety. Boeing said BTX-1
has undergone a rigorous Federal Aviation
Administration ready-to-fl y examination
process to confi rm the company’s ‘safe to fl y’
protocols and requirements.BTX-1 N381TX (c/n 00001) with
the landing gear extended. Boeing
has not specifi ed the landing gear
used by the BTX-1 model; visually it
resembles the system used by the
F-16 Fighting Falcon. Boeing