Farnborough 2016: T-X bids take shape, in the open and behind closed doors

The M-346-based T-100, which the team led by Raytheon is bidding for the US Air Force's T-X future trainer requirement, was the only T-X contender on the official briefing schedule at this year's Farnborough. Source: IHS/Peter Felstead

By: Wording OD

With a request for proposals from the US Air Force (USAF) for its T-X advanced jet trainer programme expected by the end of the year, it was perhaps surprising that, of the expected contenders vying to address the requirement, only one - Raytheon - held a scheduled T-X briefing at the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow. Raytheon has teamed with Leonardo to offer the T-100: a block upgrade of the Leonardo (Alenia Aermacchi) M-346 advanced jet trainer that is already in service with the air forces of Italy, Singapore, and Israel and on order for Poland.

An example of the type was present in Leonardo's static display park at Farnborough. CAE is also part of the Raytheon team, providing the ground-based simulators, with Honeywell Aerospace additionally on board to provide the T-100's twin F124 turbofans (as on the original M-346). Although the T-100 is not supersonic, Raytheon officials believe they have the key performance parameters (KPPs) as stipulated by the USAF covered. The KPPs call for a high degree of manoeuvrability that includes the ability to pull a minimum of 6.5 g. The air force has also requested the accommodation of boom-based air-to-air refuelling (AAR), meaning this would have to be accommodated on the M-346 alongside its standard probe-and-drogue AAR system.

Briefing journalists at Farnborough on 12 July, Dan Darnell, vice-president for strategic initiatives within Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business, said that for T-X the company is proposing a "fully integrated solution that can put the student pilot through just about any air event". A key aspect of that integrated solution is what Raytheon calls Blended Live Virtual Constructive (BLVC) training, which facilitates any combination of live and simulated flight within a training sortie and allows student pilots flying real aircraft to see and interact with other pilots flying simulators.

SOURCE: IHS Janes