DefenseThe US Navy has formally launched a long-anticipated competition to replace its aging T-45 Goshawk trainer fleet, issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for the Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) on March 26.
The development comes after years of studies, industry consultations and repeated schedule delays since the service first began outlining a successor to the T-45 in 2020. The aircraft, introduced in the early 1990s, is currently used by the Navy and Marine Corps for intermediate and advanced pilot training, including carrier qualification.
Under the new program, the Navy is altering a core requirement of its training pipeline. Unlike the T-45, the future trainer will not be required to perform carrier landings or even full field carrier landing practice (FCLP) touch-and-go maneuvers. Instead, pilots will transition to operational aircraft to complete carrier qualification, with the new trainer relying on simulation capabilities to prepare aviators for those procedures.
The service plans to procure 216 aircraft, with deliveries expected to begin in 2032. Initial engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) will include four aircraft, followed by low-rate initial production starting that same year. Production is projected to ramp up to around 25 aircraft annually from 2035.
The Navy expects to award a contract in 2027, with bid submissions due by late June. Cost controls are built into the competition, with proposals exceeding roughly $1.8 billion for the EMD phase considered non-compliant.
A competitive field of bidders is expected. Textron, in partnership with Leonardo, is offering a US-built version of the M-346, designated M-346N. Boeing is likely to propose a navalized variant of the T-7A Red Hawk, currently being introduced by the US Air Force.
Lockheed Martin is expected to team again with Korea Aerospace Industries to offer a version of the T-50, while Sierra Nevada has unveiled a clean-sheet design known as the Freedom Trainer. Northrop Grumman and General Atomics are also linked to potential bids through partnerships.
While the replacement program advances, the Navy is extending the life of the T-45 fleet. Aircraft are undergoing a Service Life Extension Program, with upgrades expected to keep the type in service into the mid-2030s, overlapping with the introduction of the new trainer.
