# Advanced Trainer Replacement T-7A — Program Element 0605223F

**Program element:** 0605223F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605223F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force funding falls 56% to a $72.2M request in FY2027, before stepping down 92% across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House cut 10.0% (to $65.0M); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Pinnacle Solutions leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 240.5 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 163.1 |
| FY2027 | Request | 72.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 49.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 56.9 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 8.8 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 5.4 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 72.2 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 65.0 | −7.2 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 72.2 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 72.2 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 655340 | Advanced Trainer Replacement T-7A | 240.5 | 163.1 | 72.2 | −56% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 655340 — Advanced Trainer Replacement T-7A

The Advanced Pilot Training (APT)/T-7A Red Hawk program will replace the Air Education and Training Command's (AETC) aging T-38C fleet with an affordable and integrated system. This system includes 351 new aircraft, a Ground Based Training System (GBTS), a Maintenance Training System (MTS), and the necessary infrastructure to meet AETC's need date of FY 2027. The training systems will feature simulators, training devices, and computer-based academics for the Advanced Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals program tracks. Under an updated 2025 acquisition strategy, four T-7 Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs) were procured and are scheduled for delivery in FY 2026 and FY 2027. This plan includes incentives to expedite Engineering Manufacturing Development (EMD) testing, improve Boeing's production readiness at its St. Louis, MO facility, and accelerate entrance into Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Funding for FY2027 continues aircraft developmental test and evaluation (DT&E) and initiates IOT&E. The MTS will provide maintainers with the foundational skills to maintain the T-7A aircraft through a blended training solution. This includes a suite of Maintenance Training Devices (MTDs) with support equipment, Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI) courseware, smart classrooms for instructor-led training, and support environments to manage schedules and data. FY2027 funding continues the design, development, integration, and test of these training capabilities. This funding request directly aids AETC's flying training enterprise to continue increasing its future pilot production, an effort that began in FY 2020 to reduce the 250 per year USAF pilot shortage. This requirement supports performance of a full financial audit as required by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Pinnacle Solutions (29.0, 40%), AFLCMC (22.8, 32%), Edwards AFB (16.6, 23%), Boeing (0.7, 0.9%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Pilot Training (APT) Program | 240.5 | 163.1 | 72.2 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 96% | 69.1 |
| Other / unspecified | 4.3% | 3.1 |

**Top named industry performers:** Pinnacle Solutions ($29.0M, 40%), AFLCMC ($22.8M, 32%), Edwards AFB ($16.6M, 23%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Advanced Pilot Training (APT)/T-7A Red Hawk program will replace the Air Education and Training Command's (AETC) aging T-38C fleet with an affordable and integrated system. This system includes 351 new aircraft, a Ground Based Training System (GBTS), a Maintenance Training System (MTS), and the necessary infrastructure to meet AETC's need date of FY 2027. The training systems will feature simulators, training devices, and computer-based academics for the Advanced Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals program tracks.

The APT/T-7A Red Hawk program acquisition strategy was approved by Office of Secretary of War, Acquisition and Sustainment (OSW[A&S]) in December 2016. In addition, the APT/T-7A Red Hawk Team completed their Development Request for Proposal (RFP) Release Defense Acquisition Board and subsequently released the RFP to industry on 30 December 2016. The Program completed source selection evaluations and Milestone B and awarded a Fixed Price Incentive Firm (FPIF) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract to The Boeing Company on 27 September 2018. The APT/T-7A Red Hawk program's acquisition strategy leveraged market conditions by competing and awarding development, production, and initial sustainment in a single contract award.

## Related program elements

- [0604329N — Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604329N) (Navy)
- [0604135A — Strategic Mid-Range Fires](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604135A) (Army)
- [0804772F — Training Developments](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0804772F) (Air Force)
- [0604932F — Long Range Standoff Weapon](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604932F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605223F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605223F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*