Advanced Pilot Training

The Advanced Pilot Training (APT) Program, as detailed under Program Element (PE) 0605223F, is a major Air Force initiative aimed at replacing the aging T-38C training fleet with the new T-7A Red Hawk aircraft. The primary goal of this program is to modernize the Air Education and Training Command's (AETC) advanced pilot training capabilities, ensuring that future fighter and bomber pilots receive training on platforms and systems that reflect current and emerging operational requirements. This modernization effort encompasses the procurement of new aircraft, as well as the development and integration of advanced ground-based training systems, maintenance training systems, and the necessary support infrastructure.

A key objective of the advanced trainer replacement effort is to execute the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, which involves the design, development, integration, and testing of the T-7A aircraft and its associated training systems. The EMD phase is critical for validating system performance and reducing risk prior to full-rate production. The program awarded a Fixed Price Incentive Firm (FPIF) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract to The Boeing Company in September 2018, covering development, production, and initial sustainment. In FY 2025 and FY 2026, funding is allocated to support developmental test and evaluation (DT&E), initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), and the procurement of production-relevant test vehicles (PRTVs) to expedite readiness for operational use.

The maintenance training system component of the program focuses on equipping maintainers with the foundational skills and core competencies needed to support the T-7A aircraft and its subsystems. The maintenance training system effort, competitively awarded to Pinnacle Solutions, LLC in April 2025, will deliver a blended training solution that includes maintenance training devices, interactive multimedia instruction, smart classrooms, and support environments for managing training schedules and student data. The development and production phases aim to operationalize centralized and unit-level training facilities, ensuring concurrency with aircraft capabilities and providing contractor logistics support for sustainment.

The program also includes funding for mission support and civilian pay expenses necessary to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. These funds support activities at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) in Dayton, OH, and are used in addition to civilian pay expenses budgeted in related program elements. The inclusion of these costs ensures that the program has the necessary personnel and management resources to oversee complex development, testing, and acquisition tasks.

Test and evaluation activities, conducted primarily at Edwards Air Force Base, are essential for validating the performance and operational suitability of the T-7A system. These activities include developmental testing, operational testing, and engineering changes to support the acquisition strategy and reduce risk. The program schedule outlines a phased approach, with EMD activities running through FY 2028, and aircraft and ground-based training system production continuing through FY 2030. Milestone C, planned for mid-FY 2026, marks the transition from development to production, contingent on successful completion of required testing and evaluation.

The acquisition strategy for the APT/T-7A Red Hawk program leverages market competition and a single contract award for development, production, and initial sustainment. In 2025, the program office adopted a revised strategy to accelerate the completion of EMD and support production efforts, including the procurement of additional PRTVs and an expanded low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract. This approach is intended to expedite testing closure, increase production readiness at Boeing's St. Louis facility, and accelerate entry into IOT&E at Randolph Air Force Base.