11bee Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Boeing's on quite the roll. They were the longshot on the AF Huey replacement program and won that earlier this week. Now they just got awarded the T-38 replacement program. Will be interesting to see if they can execute either, given the horrible problems they have had on the KC-46 tanker program. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-boeing-trainingjet-exclusive/exclusive-boeing-wins-9-2-billion-contract-for-new-air-force-training-jet-u-s-official-idUSKCN1M72MP?il=0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Yay! Things going swell for SAABoeing 😄 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vince Maddux Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 I was pulling for the T-50 since all the testing has already been done. But the Boeing jet is cool too. Hope we get a kit of it someday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 So did Boeing produce a superior design? or just hire superior lobbyists? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 1 hour ago, habu2 said: So did Boeing produce a superior design? or just hire superior lobbyists? Why would the AF want a twenty year old design when they're getting an all new one? -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VADM Fangschleister Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B.Sin Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 5 hours ago, Vince Maddux said: I was pulling for the T-50 since all the testing has already been done. But the Boeing jet is cool too. Hope we get a kit of it someday. Word. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Reminds me of a dual seat F-104 in the front, Jaguar in the middle, and an F-15-F-18ish cross breed in the rear. Kinda ugly is my first impression. At least from that angle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mfezi Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 I don't know. I think it is very good looking, and will be even more so once they remove the flight test air data probe on the nose: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a4s4eva Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Another vote for fugly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ollie T-Y Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Looks like a refined Textron Scorpion Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mfezi Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 36 minutes ago, Ollie T-Y said: Looks like a refined Textron Scorpion ??? Because it has a twin tail? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tgoetz Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Single engine F-18. The front and back look out of proportion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dutch Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 @Don, Love it! You just need a little more Squadron Green putty to smooth out the surface transitions and you have a winner! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 More than likely Boeing was chosen to maintain their manufacturing base. They can't build Eagles and Super Hornets forever. Lockheed has the F-35 production, so DoD "spreads the love" and favors Boeing for T-X. I'm not saying T-X is better/worse than the T-50, just the realities of economics and the bigger picture. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Such requirements have long figured prominently in aerospace. This may have a similar structure to the USAF helicopter deal, which Boeing won with Leonardo, "Leonardo will assemble the helicopters at its northeast Philadelphia plant, with Boeing integrating military-specific components at its facility south of that city." Perhaps SAAB will similarly build airframes to some level of completion that Boeing will then complete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KursadA Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 (edited) An all-new design completely designed in America, to be built by American labor and engineers. What's not to like? While the T-50 was a proven design (and would have been built here in the US), it was not designed here, and would have contributed zero to the important goal of keeping American aerospace design skills and infrastructure sharp. I think it's a great choice, and I am looking forward to seeing the real things in Texas skies soon. Edited September 28, 2018 by KursadA Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 28, 2018 Author Share Posted September 28, 2018 Soo... what does SAAB bring to the table? Did they design this thing? Are they doing any production work? Not sure why they are needed, gotta believe that BA could self-perform the entire program. Maybe SAAB would possibly have a second production line for exports? Lot of BA Hawks getting up there in age, should be a good international market for this jet. The good news (from a US taxpayer standpoint) is that once they get into full production, it's a firm, fixed price contract (similar to what is used for the KC-46 program), so if BA tried to lowball this bid (as many people felt they did with the tanker), they will take the cost in the shorts, not the USAF. In addition to the Huey replacement, I forgot to mention that BA also just got awarded the Navy's UAV tanker program. They really are on quite a run lately. Wasn't too long ago folks were predicting that they'd be out of the military fast jet market within a few years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kirk Taylor Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 Now we get to wait for the first of many protests to be filed and the extra five to ten year delay that they will cause. The lawyers need to eat too... He said sarcastically. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
afspret Posted September 28, 2018 Share Posted September 28, 2018 17 hours ago, GreyGhost said: Why would the AF want a twenty year old design when they're getting an all new one? -Gregg Sarcasm😉? Anywho, the T-50 is a tested & proven design, which, from what I've read, is one of the reasons why the MH-139 won. In addition, design work on the AW-139 (on which the MH model is based) began in 1997 and its first flight was in 2001. Besides a USAF T-50 variant probably could have had an in service date a lot sooner than the one expected for this new bird. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f14tomcat Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 It is the love child of a F-16 and F-18 drunken one night stand. 🤓 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
f14tomcat Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 The biggest thing I saw was that the US test pilots said the cockpit was tight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 6 hours ago, afspret said: Anywho, the T-50 is a tested & proven design So is the T-38.... 😎 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScaleWorx Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 On 9/28/2018 at 8:13 AM, Mfezi said: I don't know. I think it is very good looking, and will be even more so once they remove the flight test air data probe on the nose: I agree with this. Really nice looking aircraft in my opinion. The T-50 looks too chubby from the side. Doubt we'll see a kit of it any time soon, and I'm rather tempted to scratch build one... 🤔 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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