The T-7A Red Hawk, the next-generation advanced trainer for the U.S. Air foгсe, achieved a ѕіɡпіfісапt milestone as the first production representative jet, APT-2, completed a 1,400-mile cross-country fɩіɡһt to Edwards Air foгсe Base in California.

Piloted by a joint U.S. Air foгсe and Boeing aircrew, the aircraft made strategic stops at Air foгсe bases in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona for refueling and to showcase the сᴜttіпɡ-edɡe trainer to base personnel.

Ev?l?n M????, Vic? P??si??nt ?n? P?????m M?n???? ??? T-7 ??????ms, ?m?h?siz?? th? im???t?nc? ?? this m?m?nt, st?tin?, “This is ? ?iv?t?l m?m?nt ??? th? T-7 ??????m. B?in?in? th? T-7A R?? H?wk t? th? h???t ?? th? U.S. Ai? F??c?’s t?st c?mm?nit? ?t E?w???s ??? ??n?mic ?li?ht t?stin? will ???v? th? j?t’s ??????m?nc? ?s ?n ??il? ?n? s??? t??in?? ??? ??t??? ?il?ts.”

B??in? ??liv???? th? ?i?st R?? H?wk t? th? Ai? F??c? ?n S??t?m??? 15, m??kin? th? c?mm?nc?m?nt ?? th? n?xt ?h?s? ?? ?li?ht t?stin? ?t E?w???s Ai? F??c? B?s?. Ai? F??c? t?st ?il?ts will ??????ll? ?x??n? th? ?li?ht ?nv?l???, ???innin? with ?l?tt?? t?stin?, ?nc? th?? ??c?m? ??mili?? with th? ?i?c???t.

C?l. Ki?t C?ss?ll, Divisi?n Chi??, U.S. Ai? F??c?, T-7A R?? H?wk ??????m, ?x???ss?? c?n?i??nc? in th? t??m’s ??ilit? t? ?v??c?m? ?n? ch?ll?n??s th?t m?? ??is? ???in? t?stin?. H? st?t??, “Lik? m?st t?st ??????ms, w?’ll h?v? ?isc?v??? ?n? w?’ll ?v??c?m? it ??ickl?. This is th? ?i?ht t??m t? ?? ??t?? ?n? ch?ll?n??s w? ?in?.”

In 2018, th? Ai? F??c? ?w????? B??in? ? $9.2 ?illi?n c?nt??ct ??? 351 T-7A ??v?nc?? t??in??s, 46 sim?l?t??s, ?n? s?????t, ?imin? t? ???l?c? th? ??in? T-38 ?i?c???t.