Boeing decided not to bid to replace the T-45, determining that the T-7A did not meet the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System requirements.
Boeing has surprisingly decided not to participate in the competition to select the T-45 Goshark successor. The company said in a short statement on June 12, 2026 that the decision was made because the T-7 Red Hawk did not meet the requirements of the Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS).
Here’s the full story:
“Boeing is focused on delivering on its promises and has bid on programs where we believe we can provide the right solution for our customers’ needs and requirements. After careful evaluation, we have determined that the T-7A does not meet the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System requirements. Therefore, we have informed the Navy that we will not be bidding on the current RFP. We remain committed to delivering the T-7A as required as a modern, growth-oriented training solution for 4th, 5th and 6th generation pilots. We look forward to delivering and sustaining both current and future capabilities for the Navy.”
The company did not disclose which requirements were not met. but, aviation week and defense destruction The T-7’s F404 engine will require long-term development to meet UJTS engine qualification requirements, which will hinder Boeing’s ability to quickly reach initial operational capability, according to a company spokesperson.
It should be noted that the Navy is familiar with the same engine that powers the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Boeing has now become the second company to withdraw from the UJTS competition.
In fact, in March 2026, Lockheed Martin notified the U.S. Navy that it had decided not to pursue a bid after determining that the TF-50N “would not be the best solution for this program due to the level of U.S. content required and other reasons.” In particular, the TF-50N uses the same F404 engine.
Now only SNC and Beechcraft remain in the competition. SNC is providing the Freedom trainer aircraft with Northrop Grumman and General Atomics, and Beechcraft is providing the M-346 through a partnership with parent company Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo.
SNC’s proposal is still in the design phase, but is described as a clean design that can also perform carrier duties. Meanwhile, the M-346N is a variant of the M-346 trainer aircraft, which has been in service for over 100,000 flight hours since 2015.
The Navy released its long-awaited request for proposal (RFP) in March 2026. The RFP once again confirmed that there are no plans for the new trainer to land on an aircraft carrier or conduct field carrier landing practice (FCLP) for landing.
Then, in May 2026, the Navy increased the cost cap for the engineering and manufacturing development phase by about $1 billion. According to the statement, the decision was made based on feedback received after the release of the RFP.
RFP
The U.S. Navy released its final Request for Proposals (RFP) on March 26, 2026, for the Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program, which will replace the aging T-45 Goshawk trainer aircraft that entered service in 1991. The U.S. Navy is seeking to acquire the new aircraft under an “accelerated procurement schedule” as it continues to face problems with the T-45.
The RFP includes the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase as well as first lot procurement of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) aircraft, Ground Training Systems (GBTS) and Temporary Contractor Logistics Services (I-CLS). The contract is expected to be signed in March 2027.
According to the estimated deployment schedule attached to the RFP, the Air Force plans to procure 216 aircraft, with the first seven LRIP aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2032. Afterwards, production will increase to 12 aircraft in 2023 and 20 aircraft in 2034, with full production of 25 aircraft per year starting in 2035.
The aircraft will be split into three locations: Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Mississippi, will receive 95 aircraft starting in 2033, NAS Kingsville, Texas, will receive 95 aircraft starting in 2039, and the remaining 26 will move to NAS Pensacola, Florida, starting in 2042.
Cost will also be an important part of the selection process. The key parameter in the cost assessment will consider whether the price is reasonable and realistic, the service said.
The new aircraft will be used in a much different way compared to the T-45, which was used to train future naval aviators to land on aircraft carriers. In fact, the Navy stated, “UJTS aircraft only need to conduct Field Carrier Landing Training (FCLP) in order to depart.”
As previously reported, a significant portion of the Training Command’s syllabus centers around the FCLP, which allows new pilots to train at a land base the full approach and landing maneuvers performed on an aircraft carrier just prior to aborted landing. Under the new requirements, future student pilots will now only perform the approach phase of the FCLP, not land on the runway, and return only after reaching the minimum level.
The Navy said this decision to set a completely different course from the T-45 Goshawk and its predecessor, the T-2 Buckeye, “results from advances in operational platform landing modes and ground-based simulations.” This means new naval aviators rely more heavily on automation and perform full FCLP only in flight simulators.
This has sparked controversy, as the U.S. Army is now planning to transfer this portion of training to field replacement squadrons (FRS), where newly commissioned naval aviators will transition to their assigned aircraft. This may seem counterproductive because FRS will fly much more expensive aircraft, increasing training costs.
But this choice also has a timeline reflection. In fact, eliminating the FCLP portion of the training program at UJTS will result in much faster fielding of new aircraft, which may now be types already in service.
The new trainer therefore does not require complex and lengthy structural modifications to adapt to its new role. Typically, aircraft that need to trap a carrier and launch from a catapult, or at least perform an FCLP, must be designed with that premise in mind from the beginning, since their structural design must take into account very severe stresses during carrier operations.
