Next-gen pilot training system to be developed by Saab, Boeing, and BAE Systems
NewsNovember 19, 2025
LONDON, United Kingdom. Saab, Boeing, and BAE Systems signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the Royal Air Force’s future fast-jet training program using the T-7 aircraft as the foundation for a new training system, the companies announced in a statement.
The effort follows the requirement for a new advanced jet trainer outlined in the United Kingdom’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review. BAE Systems will lead the initiative, which is expected to include final assembly within the United Kingdom and expansion of the domestic supply chain, the statement reads.
According to the companies, the collaboration will focus on an integrated training system that combines live and synthetic environments and incorporates associated mission systems. The partners also intend to pursue additional international training opportunities for prospective customers, the statement notes.
The T-7A Red Hawk, originally selected by the U.S. Air Force in 2018 for pilot instruction, will serve as the core platform for the proposed system. The aircraft is designed to support training for multiple generations of fighter and bomber aircraft and to adapt to emerging mission requirements, the statement says.
