by Bill Carey
After three years of secrecy, Boeing Defense rolled out a new single-engine, twin-tail, high-wing training jet during a rousing ceremony at its St. Louis headquarters on September 13. The manufacturer and partner Saab have nearly completed two of the jets to compete for the U.S. Air Force’s T-X advanced training jet competition.
The BTX-1 jet, registered as N381TX, is powered by the GE Aviation F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofan engine that powers the Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet. The jet’s twin canted vertical tails also resemble the F/A-18’s, but it features a more bulbous canopy with a stepped tandem cockpit for the instructor and training pilots.
Boeing and Saab signed a joint development agreement to contend for the T-X program in December 2013. Darryl Davis, Boeing Phantom Works president, declined to reveal specifically what Saab is contributing to the new jet. It has already been reported that the Swedish manufacturer is supplying the rear fuselage, and Davis suggested Boeing is responsible for the wings and tail structures.
Read the full story at AINonline
