With the arrival of the first Boeing T-7A Red Hawk at Edwards AFB, the USAF begins its flight test campaign

The first T-7A Red Hawk arrived at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as Boeing and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) advance flight testing prior to the start of low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the new trainer aircraft.

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Red Hawk leaves its nest!

???? Farewell to the first T-7A #RedHawk ready for its new home at @EdwardsAFB to start Phase III testing with the @USAirForce. Once Air Force test pilots are familiar with the aircraft, they will expand the flight envelope. pic.twitter.com/ygMOTTBFrm

— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) November 9, 2023

This milestone formally commences the Air Force’s developmental flight test campaign for the aircraft, aimed at fielding a replacement pilot training capability for the 1960’s-era Northrop T-38 Talon.

The aircraft, known as APT-2, is the first production representative jet to roll off the assembly line and is specifically instrumented for flight test and evaluation. It was flown by a joint U.S. Air Force and Boeing crew. The trip to Edwards included stops at Vance AFB (Oklahoma), Kirtland AFB (New Mexico) and Luke AFB (Arizona).

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This arrival marks an exciting transition into the next phase of developmental flight” noted Maj. Jonathan Aronoff, T-7A test pilot. “The T-7A gives immense capability updates that will allow the Air Force to train the next generation of combat aviators. Success of first delivery is truly a testament to the joint USAF-industry team we have in place,” added Aronoff.

See also: Boeing offers T-7A Red Hawk to Australia

As a future trainer for Air Force fighter and bomber pilots, the testing program will include flying qualities, structural loads, and flutter to determine if the aircraft complies with both contractual and military aircraft specifications.

The team of test pilots (one from the USAF and one from Boeing) were rehearsing missions in the simulator and will soon begin flying up to three times a day, using the APT-2 aircraft for flight envelope expansion tests, before moving on to mission systems.