BAE Launches U.S. Air Force Jet Trainer Replacement Program

http://avstop.com/news_sept_2010/bae_launches_us_air_force_jet_trainer_replacement_program.htm

September 13, 2010 - BAE Systems announced that it will pursue the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Pilot Training Family of Systems with the world's most advanced and successful fast jet training system, the proven Hawk Advanced Jet Training System.  BAE Systems is well positioned to compete for the USAF Advanced Pilot Training (APT) Family of Systems (FOS) - commonly called the T-X system - and to provide the training system for the next generation of operational pilots.  BAE Systems has an off-the-shelf solution that is the only fully optimized jet trainer that is low risk, in-service and has demonstrated affordable life-cycle cost.  "As the premier provider of fast jet training systems worldwide - BAE Systems is training for the future now," said Larry Prior, Executive Vice President of Service Sectors for BAE Systems.

"BAE Systems will prime this pursuit from its U.S. business and leverage its extensive experience and highly relevant global capabilities to offer the most advanced family of systems available now to replace the aging T-38 training system. We will pursue strategic partners in the U.S. to provide best value to the U.S. Air Force while investing in the U.S. industrial base."  The BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Training System is a true system that fully integrates live jet training with a high-fidelity virtual environment to support the development of pilots. The Hawk Advanced Jet Training System is more than just the aircraft. The system delivers advanced aircraft avionics, a fully integrated training environment, instructor debrief features and other front line capabilities that deliver the best training to pilots.  The sophisticated BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Training System enables pilots to train effectively in a synthetic environment and allows them to train in the same way they fight, including multi-engagement scenarios, complex combat situations, intercepts, data-link operations and the use of synthetic sensors. Warfare of the future is not just about flying the aircraft, but about understanding, processing and reacting correctly to the quantity of information available in the cockpit.  The Hawk Advanced Jet Training System does not require development to meet the Air Force's desired 2017 Initial Operational Capability date, and it will substantially lower the total cost of training mission-ready pilots. The Hawk family is the F-35 lead-in trainer for the U.S. Navy, Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. More than 900 Hawk aircraft have been delivered across 18 countries and more are on order in support of training current and future pilots.

Evolved from a system that has demonstrated more than 2.5 million flying hours, the BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer is now entering service with the Royal Air Force. BAE Systems brings a proven history of leading major aviation programs, partnering on front line U.S. aircraft, and developing and fielding trainers, fighters and other aircraft around the world.