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First non-test pilot to fly T-7A Red Hawk
On a clear spring morning over the Mojave Desert, Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of Air Education and Training Command, made history as the first non-test pilot to fly the T-7A Red Hawk. The milestone flight took place April 30 at Edwards Air Force Base, underscoring the program’s progress and the Air Force’s commitment to modernizing pilot training.
According to a T-7 Program Office news release, Robinson pulled back on the stick at 10:38 a.m., with Lt. Col. Jonathan Aronoff, 416th Flight Test Squadron, instructing from the rear seat. After a 1.2-hour flight, Robinson sat the airplane down smoothly, at 11:42 a.m., under mostly sunny skies. The flight also marked the first opportunity for Air Force Materiel Command to provide AETC direct collaborative hands-on experience with the aircraft.
“The jet flies really well – smooth, stable, like a dream,” said Robinson. “It is exciting to see firsthand what the T-7 is capable of, and I am confident this jet will deliver military aviation competencies to future undergraduate pilot training students to be ready for modern operational missions and platforms.”
“Lt. Gen. Robinson’s flight showcases the strong partnership between our test and operational communities,” said Brig. Gen. Doug Wickert, 412th Test Wing commander at Edwards. “It also demonstrates our sense of urgency within the test enterprise and across the Air Force, within safe operating environments, to deliver leading-edge training capabilities to our future warfighters.”
The role and relevance of the T-7
Robinson cited the role and relevance of the T-7 specifically to the AETC enterprise.
“The T-7 is an integral part of transforming pilot training to sustainably produce pilots in the quantities the Air Force requires,” he said. “AETC looks forward to a safe and reliable T-7 aircraft at Randolph in December 2025 so that we may quickly begin operational test and integration into pilot training.”
Aronoff, who leads the T-7A Integrated Test Force, highlighted the significance of bringing AETC’s top leader into the cockpit.
“We were able to provide General Robinson relevant flight experience on the aircraft to inform and showcase its current capabilities,” he said. “These early looks are crucial for AETC as they update their courseware, map the future of pilot training and develop syllabi to train the next generation of combat aviators.
“As developmental flight test continues to open the flight envelope and unlock capabilities,” said Aronoff, “it’s important for our customers to track our progress, remain informed on test results and provide feedback. So, we’re working hand in hand with AETC to ensure we’re delivering the right capabilities at the right time.”
AETC Commander and the T-7A program
The flight was a notable testament to the platform’s maturity and the test wing’s growing confidence in its systems, said Aronoff.
“From the onset of the T-7A program, in partnership with our AETC, test community and industry teammates, we have been shaping requirements and driving innovation to field this aircraft,” said Rodney Stevens, program executive officer for training at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. “To see General Robinson’s flight was a memorable moment, and a reflection of years of hard work and dedication by so many in delivering an advance pilot training capability to our Air Force.
“I’m very proud,” Stevens said, “of our T-7A Program Office team for their key role in getting us to this point and the role they will continue to play over the life of the program.”
The T-7 Red Hawk
The T-7A is a new advanced training system that is being developed to replace the aging T-38 Talon. The Red Hawk leverages a glass cockpit, stadium seating and embedded training to meet USAF needs to train the next generation of fighter and bomber pilots.
The aircraft, combined with advanced ground-based simulators, will be a giant leap in pilot training as the Air Force strives to maintain its tactical advantage over evolving threats.
The T-7A’s vibrant red tails are a tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American US military aviators who flew red-tailed fighters during World War II.
The T-7A will enhance warfighter training through:
- Improved pilot readiness: The all-new advanced pilot training system uses high resolution ground-based training systems and simulators to deliver robust and realistic integrated live, virtual and constructive training capabilities.
- Safety: Model-based engineering enabled testing throughout the aircraft’s design and build to help ensure safety before the first flight. The T-7A’s cockpit egress system is the safest of any trainer.
- Flexibility for any mission: With open architecture software and digital fly-by-wire controls, the T-7A supports training for a wide variety of fighter and bomber pilots and can evolve as technologies, threats and training needs change.
Photo credit: Jennifer Healy and CJ Raterman / U.S. Air Force
