DefenseSNC partners with Northrop Grumman and General Atomics on new U.S. Navy jet trainer bid
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has signed an executive charter agreement with Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to form an industry team pursuing the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program.
The bid centers on SNC’s Freedom Trainer, a jet designed from the outset for naval training requirements. SNC is the only known competitor proposing a clean-sheet aircraft, while rival teams are offering existing or adapted platforms.
Textron Aviation Defense is offering the Beechcraft M-346N, a navalized version of the Leonardo M-346 trainer. Boeing and Saab are proposing the T-7 Red Hawk, the U.S. Air Force’s new advanced jet trainer. Lockheed Martin has teamed with Korea Aerospace Industries to offer the T-50, a supersonic trainer already in service with several air forces.
Under the agreement announced this week, Northrop Grumman and General Atomics would support production and manufacturing of the Freedom Trainer if selected. Northrop Grumman brings experience in military aircraft production, while General Atomics contributes advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The Freedom Trainer is intended to replace the Navy’s aging Boeing T-45 Goshawk fleet. SNC says the aircraft is designed to meet naval aviation requirements, including field carrier landing practice to prepare student pilots for carrier operations.
The company states that the aircraft would feature an open systems architecture and be integrated with ground-based training systems and logistics support. SNC also says engine-related lifecycle costs would be about 40% lower than those of the T-45, though those figures have not been independently verified.
The Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System program seeks a successor to legacy trainers used to prepare pilots for front-line aircraft such as the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35, as well as future carrier-based platforms under development, including the F/A-XX program.
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