In 1978, McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace developed the T-45A Goshawk, a carrier-suitable version of the British Aerospace Hawk. The first Hawk, which flew Aug. 21, 1974, was established as the Royal Air Force principal jet trainer and served the U.S. and European air forces.
The U.S. Navy ordered more than 125 T-45A Goshawks, intending to use them to replace the TA-4J Skyhawk in the Advanced Jet Training Program and the T-2 Buckeye in the Intermediate Jet Pilot Training Program.
The T-45 Training System (T45TS) combines academic, simulation and flight phases into an integrated computer-based training approach that greatly improves training efficiency and safety. The two-seat, single-engine T-45 Goshawk aircraft trainer is at the heart of the T45TS, the first totally integrated training system developed for the Navy.
The T-45C, with a digital cockpit that is more representative of current tactical fighter configurations, made its first flight in October 1997. Boeing has delivered more than 165 Goshawks to the Navy, and more than 2,300 new aviators have earned their wings in the T-45. At least 234 Goshawks were slated to be produced for Navy and Marine Corps training beyond 2030.
T-45 Training System home page
| First flight: | April 16, 1988 |
|---|---|
| Wingspan: | 30 feet 10 inches |
| Length: | 38 feet 11 inches |
| Height: | 13 feet 1 inches |
| Speed: | 620 mph |
| Ceiling: | 50,000 feet |
| Range: | 1,550 miles |
| Power plant: | One 5,450-pound-thrust Rolls-Royce Adour Mk 851 turbofan engine |
| Crew: | 1 instructor, 1 student |