Boeing is unlikely to deliver the first aircraft to the US Air Force until 2026 due to issues with the ejection seats. Boeing is anticipated to provide the inaugural supersonic T-7A Red Hawk training jet between late 2025 and early 2026, as acknowledged by the US Air Force (USAF). The recent setback in the program for the aircraft set to replace the Northrop T-38 Talons pertains to the ejection seats, which have not attained the level of confidence demanded by the USAF.

The T-7A was devised by Boeing in collaboration with Saab and spearheaded the adoption of digital tools to expedite the development process. Indeed, a mere three years elapsed between the digital design and the initial flight, thanks to advancements that enabled more accurate assembly of the prototype. The US Air Force granted a contract to Boeing in early 2018, but five years later, only two prototypes have undergone flight evaluations, although an additional five aircraft in various production stages should be delivered in 2023. Due to the issue with the ejection seats, USAF pilots are unable to fly the T-7, thus hindering the delivery of production jets.

The Air Force and Boeing expressed confidence that the system would be resolved shortly. According to the service, ejection tests indicated that the escape system could cause concussions in pilots, although industry sources noted that the USAF might have improperly instrumented the test dummies. Order of hundreds of aircraft The new delay was disclosed after the Air Force excluded aircraft production from the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget since the commencement of assembly was shifted to 2025.

The T-7A Red Hawk is a single-engine supersonic jet for advanced training, introducing several conceptual alterations. One such change is a more adaptable cockpit, designed to accommodate pilots of diverse sizes, thereby necessitating a more effective ejection system. The USAF intends to procure between 350 and 475 aircraft to ultimately retire the T-38 Talon, a training aircraft that spawned the well-regarded F-5 Tiger II light fighter.

However, the change in planning should compel the Air Force to prolong the useful life of the Talons, which have been in service for over 60 years.