The US Air Force will commence climate chamber testing of its new T-7 Red Hawk supersonic advanced trainer aircraft at Eglin AFB’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory in Florida.
Climate chamber testing validates a vehicle’s system functionalities under extreme environmental conditions.
The aircraft will be tested from negative 25 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 31.7 to 43.4 degrees Celsius).
Capabilities to be tested include the jet’s fuel, engine, hydraulics, electrical systems, secondary power, environmental control, and overall operations.
“The Red Hawk must withstand a range of environments from sitting on the ground in the Texas heat to flying at altitude,” US Air Force T-7A Chief Developmental Tester Dr. Troy Hoeger explained.
“The climatic lab helps us do this in a deliberate and methodical way and will give us confidence that our new aircraft meets requirements.”
New Aerial Combat Trainer
The US Air Force accepted its first T-7 in September as part of a $9.2-billion contract awarded to Boeing in 2018.
The agency plans to increase its T-7 fleet to 351 to replace its aging T-38C trainer aircraft that have been in service for almost six decades.
For the contract, Boeing included an option to deliver up to 475 of the jets and 120 corresponding simulators.
The primary upgrades the Red Hawks offer include a stadium seating arrangement, embedded practice configuration, and a glass touchscreen cockpit, all of which are expected to deliver “a fundamental difference in future pilot training.”
“The Red Hawk now joins many other Air Force aircraft tested at McKinley, from World War II to today’s 21st century planes, to ensure they will operate in real world conditions,” Hoeger stated.
Progress of the T-7 Program
Boeing completed the US Air Force’s first T-7 flight in Missouri in June.
In September 2022, the company signed a $91-million contract with L3Harris to deliver management processors for the service’s upcoming jet trainers. The same year, Boeing revealed the first US Red Hawk at the Lambert International Airport.
In 2021, Boeing’s T-7 strategic partner Saab constructed a facility in Indiana to support future programs related to the Red Hawk fighter jets.
