Red Hawk: New Jet Trainer Taxiing for Low Rate Production.

• Author: Roaten, Meredith

After overcoming developmental delays, the first prototype of the Air Force's new combat trainer--the T-7A Red Hawk --rolled off the production line this year, hitting a major milestone. But the program still faces an uphill climb.

As Boeing moves toward the production phase of its T-X program --whicb includes aircraft, ground simulators and other training technology--to replace the aging T-38 Talons, the company is fighting to make sure it stays on schedule and on cost, an executive said. The aircraft's progress could also open up opportunities for Boeing to pitch it to additional training programs and to international customers, analysts said.

Boeing is investing in the latest technology to make sure the platform stays competitive. First, the company is revolutionizing its own production technology. The engineering and development process has become more digitalized and includes the use of model-based design, said Paul Niewald, vice president of Boeing T-7 Programs.

Going digital has helped alleviate the impact of delays, specifically the work on the forward and aft fuselages, he said. The two parts can now be joined in less than 30 minutes--a 95 percent time reduction.

The change also resulted in a 75 percent increase in engineering quality, he said.

That time-saving effort has been much needed in the program. During high angle of attack testing, the company found a problem with wing rock in the platform's design that had to be corrected, pushing back a Milestone C decision to November 2023, the company announced last year.

Even though the T-7A program is still targeting a 2024 initial operating capability, it is still trying to manage the effects of a global pandemic.

"COVID-19 caused delays for suppliers, which had a ripple effect on scheduled deliveries and production," he said in an email. "Therefore, COVID-19 impacts did reflect on a delay in the proposed Milestone C date. We continue to identify opportunities to mitigate delays and gain back time."

Boeing is also investing in capital renovations to its facilities that will "integrate the latest advancements in model-based engineering, automation, augmented and virtual reality, full-sized determinate assembly, modularity and more," he said.

Additionally, Boeing is modernizing its approach to managing and processing data through a 10-year contract with L3Harris that was announced in September.

The processors will streamline data from different sensors on the aircraft using an open...