Boeing starts T-7A simulator production, assembly

Boeing announced this week it has started production on the T-7A Red Hawk's ground-based training system, and assembly on the first two trainers is underway at its St. Louis site.

"These simulators, which are the foundation for pilot training and key to the Air Force's readiness, can digitally connect to actual T-7A aircraft and enable live, virtual, constructive and embedded training scenarios," the company said in a press release Tuesday.

The first simulators are slated to be delivered to the Air Force in 2023. The systems will feature high-fidelity crew stations, dynamic motion seats and Boeing's constant-resolution projectors, which the company says offer 16 times more clarity than traditional high-definition video. The company designed the simulator with an open systems architecture that will make it easier for the Air Force to upgrade as its needs change.

Sherri Koehnemann, Boeing's T-7A training and sustainment director, said in the release that the new GBTS is "the most accurate, immersive experience that any pilot can have outside the aircraft."

"We've integrated the training across the board, including 'one-push' software updates," Koehnemann said. "What a pilot sees in the classroom, on his or her desktop training devices, and in the operational and weapon systems trainers will be what they see in the jet. Future pilots can expect more holistic immersive training."

The GBTS and the T-7A aircraft both passed critical design reviews in March.