Boeing and Saab in Talks with BAE Systems to Offer T-7 as Future RAF Trainer
Boeing and Saab are in dialogue with BAE Systems to offer the T-7 Red Hawk as the future training aircraft for the United Kingdom, including the Red Arrows' fleet.
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The consortium formed by the American company Boeing and Sweden's Saab is holding preliminary talks with British defense giant BAE Systems to form a potential joint bid for the program to replace the Royal Air Force (RAF)'s fleet of BAE Hawk trainers. According to industry sources cited by Reuters, the negotiations are at an early stage.
The dialogue centers on the T-7 Red Hawk, the advanced trainer that Boeing and Saab jointly developed and which won the U.S. Air Force's T-X program. Meanwhile, the UK government has already confirmed its intention to replace its veteran Hawk aircraft fleet, whose production line closed in 2000.
A spokesperson for BAE Systems, whose corporate predecessor developed the successful trainer in the 1970s, stated that the company "does not comment on rumor and speculation." They added that "training remains an important pillar of our air sector strategy. We continue to explore and develop our footprint in this area across both live and synthetic capabilities."
From Sweden, a Saab spokesperson simply noted that they "have a long-term partnership with Boeing on the co-development of T-7" and that the firm "will not comment on rumors or speculation." Boeing did not provide a comment on the matter.
Why Does the UK Need a New Trainer?
The need to replace the BAE Hawk fleet is driven by three main factors:
Obsolescence: The Hawk T1 fleet, used by the Red Arrows, is slated for retirement by 2030.
Future Requirements: The current Hawk T2, while modern, does not meet the demands for training pilots for the future sixth-generation fighter from the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
End of Production: The Hawk is no longer in production, complicating long-term sustainment.
The UK's Strategic Defence Review, published in June, recommended the Hawk's replacement. In January, BAE Systems informed a parliamentary committee that it had not yet decided on whether it would develop an entirely new aircraft to succeed its flagship product. The same committee warned that the Hawk T2 would not adequately prepare pilots for the systems of the future fighters being developed by the country alongside Japan and Italy.
The competition will also determine the future of the Red Arrows aerobatic team. The Minister for Defence Procurement, Maria Eagle, confirmed last month that "the future platform of the Royal Air Force aerobatic team is being considered at the same time." Eagle also stressed that "the competition will welcome any bids from UK-based suppliers," a clear message about the importance of local industrial participation.
The global market for military trainers is expanding. U.S. consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory projects the market value will increase from $2.8 billion to $3.7 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by the expansion of air forces globally and the fact that fifth-generation fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-35 do not have a two-seat training version.
A potential partnership between Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems would face other established competitors such as the M-346 Master from Italy's Leonardo and the T-50 Golden Eagle from South Korea's Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Additionally, the British company Aeralis is proposing its own modular design, which could be a sovereign development alternative. A key factor, especially for the Red Arrows' aircraft, is that it must be of British design or, at a minimum, British-assembled, to act as a promotional tool for the UK's aerospace industry.
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