T-7A Red Hawk: A new era for pilot training begins at Randolph Published Dec. 2, 2025 By Christa D’Andrea Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – The Air Force is welcoming a new purpose-built aircraft designed to train today’s pilots for tomorrow’s fight. 00:29 VIDEO | 00:29 | T-7A Red Hawk - Are You Ready? Arriving Dec. 5 at the 12th Flying Training Wing, the T-7A Red Hawk ushers in a new era of training for Air Education and Training Command, where next-generation pilot training takes flight. “The aircraft delivery is the first physical representation of progress within the program,” said Brig. Gen. Matthew Leard, Director of AETC Plans, Program, Requirements, and International Affairs. The T-7A marks a historic milestone for AETC as it will replace the six-decade-year-old T-38 Talon. While the Red Hawk represents the future of advanced training, the T-6 Texan II, which arrived in 2000 at Randolph Air Force Base, continues to play a crucial role in Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). AETC has plans to expand the T-7A program and eventually replace the Texan. Named in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, the T-7A Red Hawk will be assigned to the 99th Flying Training Squadron “Red Tails” and, over the next several years, will integrate into the pilot training pipeline. Commanded by Lt. Col. Michael Trott, the 99 FTS has the honor of continuing the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen while forging a next chapter with the T-7A. “We intend to continue the legacy of breaking barriers and challenging assumptions by utilizing the advanced capabilities of the T-7 training system,” Trott said. “The 99th will re-write what pilot production looks like and shape the future of pilot training for the next generation of warfighters in America.” What the T-7 brings to AETC & UPT The T-7A Red Hawk is being introduced to replace the aging T-38C Talon, which was originally designed in the early 1960s. “The T-38 has been life-extended multiple times,” Leard said. “There’s an escalating cost of retaining the airplane and keeping it flyable. Additionally, it's no longer aligned with current or future aircraft.” For AETC, the T-7A represents a fundamental shift in how aviators are trained. “From day one, students won't just be learning to fly; they'll be learning to manage information, interpret data from advanced sensors, and make critical decisions in a complex environment, all from within the trainer,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory Kreuder, 19th Air Force commander. “This aircraft enables us to close the gap between basic pilot training and the realities of fifth generation plus warfare, producing more capable, intuitive warfighters right out of the gate." Similar to how mobile devices have modernized from simple tools to software-driven platforms, the T-7A reflects the same leap in technology and flexibility. Leard explained that while the T-38 and the T-7 look fast and sleek, under the hood the T-7 is a different class of machine. “The T-7 is the open platform we’re going to need for the future.” he said. Built on an open architecture, the T-7A can be updated over time, allowing the Air Force to add new features and modernize training without replacing the jet. Its fly-by-wire design also gives instructors the ability to tailor aircraft behavior throughout the syllabus, such as limiting G-loads early in training and expanding the envelope as the student progresses. Altogether, the T-7A offers a flexible, upgradeable system that allows AETC to develop pilot training in ways the 1960s-era T-38 simply cannot. “We will employ the T-7 in complex, multi-domain scenarios that were previously impossible in our training aircraft,” Kreuder said. “The challenge, then, is to adapt our training syllabi to leverage that new capability. We must avoid plugging our new jet into an old model. Therefore, we are actively developing our new curriculum from the ground up with a focus on data-driven and individualized learning paths.” The first T-7A Red Hawk arrives at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Nov. 8. The aircraft’s test campaign is being executed by the T-7A Integrated Test Force, part of the Airpower Foundations Combined Test Force in association with the 416th Flight Test Squadron. The Integrated Test Force is a partnership between the USAF and T-7A manufacturer, The Boeing Company. (Air Force photo by Todd Schannuth) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Training the right skills for the future fight The T-7A shifts pilot training away from traditional seat-of-the-pants flying and toward the cognitive, information-driven skills demanded by fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft. "Our legacy T-38 built incredible 'stick and rudder' aviators and served us well for many decades; however, it is ill-suited to prepare our pilots for the aircraft we have today and are acquiring in the near future,” Kreuder stated. Leard echoed the need for a shift in training and described that many of the skills students develop in the T-38 are no longer relevant to modern fighter platforms, and Field Training Units like Luke Air Force Base often must retrain graduates to operate in advanced digital cockpits. The T-7A directly addresses that gap by building the cognitive foundation pilots need. Kreuder stated the T-7 is designed to shape a new kind of mindset that advanced aircraft demand and pilots will develop skills that include rapid decision-making, cognitive offloading to technology and managing complex systems under pressure. “We will forge tactical problem-solvers who are not just great aviators but are also comfortable multi-tasking as critical nodes in a data-rich environment by preparing students to manage sensor fusion, process large amounts of information, and make rapid, data-driven decisions,” he said. “Skills central to the future fight.” “The T-7 is more about displaying and ingesting large amounts of information. That really is the challenge of the fifth-gen or sixth-gen world,” Leard added. With students now training in all-glass cockpits from day one and transitioning into the T-7, UPT builds consistent habits that translate directly to modern fighter aircraft. Ground-based training, LVC, and pipeline efficiency The T-7A is part of a larger ecosystem that includes an associated Ground-Based Training System; and a separate maintenance training system is being procured so maintainers can train without pulling jets from the flying schedule. The robust GBTS can reduce the number of sorties required to reach proficiency, allowing students to train quicker with fewer hours. Over the life of the program, that means fewer sorties per student to reach the same or better proficiency. The T-7A also incorporates Live-Virtual-Constructive integration, which enables the aircraft and the simulator to train together in the same scenario. Leard likens the LVC to buying modern hardware that will continue to grow through software-driven upgrades, giving AETC the ability to evolve training as threats and platforms change without needing a new aircraft. AETC wings are preparing by investing heavily in the instructor corps, sending them through specialized training so they become experts with this new system. “We’re building the digital infrastructure and empowering our Airmen, both pilots and maintainers, to innovate and shape how we train our warfighters so they will continue to dominate in any future fight,” Kreuder said. T-7 Integration The Program of Record includes 351 T-7As, 46 simulators, and associated ground-based training systems. The program will eventually extend to include replacing the T-6 Texan. While the first T-7A is scheduled to arrive Dec. 5, test work will continue at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The 99 FTS will build out the Type 1 maintenance training and initial pilot training. According to Leard the goal is to start building muscle memory and processes at AETC. “Rather than wait for the full envelope and then start all the Type 1 training, the Type 1 training will happen in parallel,” he added. The aircraft is scheduled to meet Initial Operational Capability in August 2027, with 14 aircraft assigned to the 99 FTS. The end state consists of 40-60 aircraft purchased per year, ramping up by 2033 with the final procurement around 2035-36. The T-38 will remain in service until enough T-7As are in place. Deliveries are planned for Columbus AFB in Fiscal 2027, Laughlin AFB in Fiscal 2032, Vance AFB in Fiscal 2034, and Sheppard AFB in Fiscal 2035.