TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – U.S. Air Force aircraft pilot training experts are asking Field Aerospace in Oklahoma City, Okla., to replace the avionics in 178 T-1A trainer aircraft under terms of a $21.3 million six-year order announced Wednesday.
Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., are asking Field Aerospace for option one of full rate production to begin for the T-1A Avionics Modification Program (AMP), which calls for upgrading the avionics suite in the air education and training command fleet of 178 T-1A trainer aircraft, as well as 16 operational flight trainers and 14 part task trainers.
Field Aerospace will install Pro Line 21 avionics suite from Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This avionics upgrade features four large liquid crystal displays, and readies the aircraft for future airspace operations, including ADS-B Out.
The Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk, a military version of the Beechjet/Hawker 400A business jet, is a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer that helps train pilots to fly air cargo and air tanker aircraft. It also helps train Air Force combat systems officers in high and low level flight procedures.
The Collins Aerospace Pro Line 21 has been fielded on more than 5,000 aircraft, providing operators with functionality and situational. The glass cockpit design is for continuous improvement as operating requirements evolve.
Features include synthetic vision, aircraft information manager (AIM), integrated flight information system (IFIS V6), RF data links, four large-format, configurable displays with LED back lighting, moving weather maps, localizer performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approach, and moving flight charts.
On this order Field Aerospace will do the work in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; Vance Air Force Base, Okla.; Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla., and should be finished by August 2025.
For more information contact Field Aerospace online at www.fieldaero.com, Collins Aerospace at www.rockwellcollins.com, or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at www.wpafb.af.mil/aflcmc.
