Raytheon, Alenia to join T-X trainer competition with T-100 bid

Raytheon announced Monday that it will partner with Alenia to offer the T-100 aircraft as part of its solution for the Air Force's competition to build a next-generation trainer.

The company is partnering with Alenia, CAE and Honeywell Aerospace to deliver a solution that combines the T-100 aircraft with a "leading-edge," ground-based training system, according to a press release issued Feb. 22.

"Our affordable, low risk, open systems solution combines a proven aircraft with a suite of fully integrated training technologies. Our team is best positioned to bring the essential experience, capabilities and core competencies together to meet the United States Air Force's mission requirements," Rick Yuse, Raytheon's president of space airborne systems said in the release.

Alenia and CAE had previously partnered with General Dynamics for the T-X trainer competition, but GD withdrew from the partnership last year. The new, Raytheon-led team will compete against a Northrop Grumman-BAE Systems team, a Boeing and Saab team as well as a Lockheed Martin-Korea Aerospace Industries team.

The Air Force expects to award a contract for T-X in fiscal year 2017.