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Single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat turboprop military training aircraft From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft built by Textron Aviation. A trainer aircraft based on the Pilatus PC-9, the T-6 replaced the United States Air Force's Cessna T-37B Tweet and the United States Navy's T-34C Turbo Mentor during the 2010s.
| T-6 Texan II | |
|---|---|
| A USAF T-6A Texan II flying from Randolph Air Force Base. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Trainer aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Textron Aviation |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 900 (August 2015) |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2000–present |
| Introduction date | 2001 |
| First flight | 15 July 1998 [1] |
| Developed from | Pilatus PC-9 |
The T-6A is used by the United States Air Force for basic pilot training and Combat Systems Officer (CSO) training, the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps for primary Naval Aviator training and primary and intermediate Naval Flight Officer (NFO) training, and by the Royal Canadian Air Force (CT-156 Harvard II designation), Greek Air Force, Israeli Air Force (with the "Efroni" nickname), and Iraqi Air Force for basic flight training. The T-6B is the primary trainer for U.S. student naval aviators (SNAs). The T-6C is used for training by the Mexican Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Moroccan Air Force, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The Model 3000/T-6 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with enclosed tandem seating for two. It is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop engine in tractor configuration with an aluminum, 97-inch (8.1 ft; 2.5 m), four-blade, constant-speed, variable pitch, non-reversing, feathering propeller assembly and has retractable tricycle landing gear. The aircraft is fitted with Martin-Baker Mark 16 ejection seats and a canopy fracturing system.
The T-6 is a development of the Pilatus PC-9, modified by Beechcraft to enter the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition in the 1990s.[2] A similar arrangement between Pilatus and British Aerospace had also been in place for a Royal Air Force competition in the 1980s, although that competition selected the Short Tucano. The aircraft was designated under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system and named for the decades-earlier T-6 Texan.
On 9 April 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense released their Selected Acquisition Reports, which reported that the T-6 JPATS program was one of only eight programs cited for Congressional notification for 25–50% cost overrun over initial estimates, which is referred to as a "Nunn-McCurdy Breach" after the Nunn-McCurdy Amendment. It is unusual for a program so far into full-rate production to experience significant enough cost overruns to trigger this congressional notification.[3]
The T-6A was introduced to Moody Air Force Base and Randolph Air Force Base in 2000–2001, and the Air Force awarded the full-rate T-6 production contract in December 2001. Laughlin Air Force Base began flying the T-6 in 2003 where it became the primary basic trainer, replacing the T-37. Vance Air Force Base completed transitioning from the T-37 to the T-6 in 2006. That year, Columbus Air Force Base began its transition, and retired its last T-37 in April 2008. The last active USAF T-37Bs were retired at Sheppard Air Force Base in the summer of 2009.[8]
The Texan failed to qualify for the Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance program, because the USAF mailed the exclusion notice to the wrong address, leaving the company with no time to protest the decision.[9] But the official mail failure gave Hawker-Beechcraft a further legal justification, as they had told the USAF they planned to file a legal challenge even before the official notice had been mailed and brought its considerable political influence to bear against the USAF decision against their candidate with one Kansas Congressman stating, "It is simply wrong for the Obama administration to hire a Brazilian company to handle national security when we have a qualified and competent American company that can do the job."[10] In 2013, Beechcraft again lost the bid.[11]
In August 2017, the Air Force conducted the "Light Attack Experiment" to evaluate potential light attack aircraft. Following this, it decided to continue experimenting with two non-developmental aircraft, the AT-6 Wolverine derivative of the T-6 Texan II and the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 Super Tucano. Tests were scheduled to be conducted at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona between May and July 2018. The tests are intended "to experiment with maintenance, data networking and sensors...[to] gather the data needed for a rapid procurement", according to Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. Experimentation will examine logistics requirements, weapons and sensor issues, and future interoperability with partner forces.[12]
During the last week of January 2018, a cluster of unexplained physiological events involving the T-6 occurred at Columbus, Vance, and Sheppard Air Force Bases. In response, the commander of Nineteenth Air Force, which is responsible for USAF pilot training, directed an "operational pause" in Texan II operations on 1 February 2018 to ensure aircrew safety. The pause was intended to enable the Air Force to "examine the root causes of the incidents, educate and listen to aircrew, develop and deliver mitigation solutions." The Air Force had established a general officer-led team to integrate and coordinate efforts across the Air Force to address aircrew unexplained physiological events earlier in 2018.[13]
In February 2018, the AT-6 Wolverine and the A-29 Super Tucano were named as the only two remaining aircraft in USAF's Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance aircraft competition.[14]
In March 2020, the USAF placed a $70.2 million order for two AT-6E Wolverine aircraft.[15] The first Wolverine was delivered to the USAF in February 2021.[16] The Wolverines were operated by the 81st Fighter Squadron.[17] In June 2022, the two aircraft were returned to Beechcraft.[18] In July 2022, the Wolverine received Military Type Certification from the USAF.[19] In September 2023, the two Wolverines were transferred from storage at Beechcraft to the United States Naval Test Pilot School.[20]
The CT-156 Harvard II is a variant used for pilot instruction in the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC),[21] located at 15 Wing, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.[22] They are leased to the Royal Canadian Air Force by the program's administrator, CAE. NFTC's Harvard II aircraft are almost identical in cockpit layout and performance to the American JPATS Texan IIs. Within NFTC, students fly the Harvard II in Phase 2 and 3 of the training program, and some will go on to fly the CT-155 Hawk jet trainer also used by NFTC for Phase 4 (Moose Jaw) and Phase 5 Fighter Lead-In Training (4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta). NFTC had 25 Harvard II aircraft owned and maintained by Bombardier, although one was lost following a non-fatal crash in 2014, and another in 2017.[23] CAE took over the program in 2015.[24]
The Hellenic Air Force operates 25 T-6A and 20 T-6A NTA aircraft.[25]
On 9 June 2008, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced a possible FMS sale to Israel of 25 T-6As for the Israeli Air Force.[26][27] In July 2009, Beechcraft delivered the first four of 20 T-6As under contract to the Israeli Air Force.[28]
On 16 December 2009, the first four of 15 T-6A aircraft were delivered to Tikrit, Iraq under a $210 million contract. No AT-6 aircraft were included as was previously reported.[29] The last four T-6As reached Iraq on 9 November 2010.[30]
On 13 May 2014, the US State Department approved an order for 24 T-6C aircraft for use as trainers by the Iraqi Air Force. The sale was worth US$790 million and was part of a larger one billion dollar deal.[31]
In October 2009, Hawker Beechcraft announced the sale of 24 T-6Cs for the Royal Moroccan Air Force.[32]
On 9 January 2012, Mexico purchased six T-6C+ aircraft for the Mexican Air Force to begin replacing their Pilatus PC-7 trainers.[33] On 24 October 2013, Hawker Beechcraft announced a follow-on order of an additional six T-6C+ aircraft for the Mexican Air Force, bringing the total ordered to 12.[34] The Mexican Navy also ordered two T-6C+ Trainers in March 2014.[35]
The New Zealand Government announced the purchase of 11 T-6Cs for the Royal New Zealand Air Force for NZ$154 million, on 27 January 2014 to replace the PAC CT/4 Airtrainer, with all aircraft delivered by February 2015. The first training course using the type began early 2016.[36][37] The T-6Cs are expected to remain in service with the RNZAF for 30 years.[37]
On 24 October 2014, the UK Ministry of Defence announced its preferred bidder for the UK Military Flying Training System programme. Ascent's system will involve T-6C Texan IIs in the basic trainer role for both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots.[38][full citation needed] The contract for ten aircraft was signed by Affinity Flying Training Services and Beechcraft Defense on 4 February 2016. The T-6C trainers have replaced Shorts Tucano T1 aircraft.[39]
In October 2017, the Argentine Air Force received the first four of 12 T-6C+ aircraft purchased from Textron Aviation[40] and a further two in June 2018.[41]
In October 2019, U.S. State Department approved the possible Foreign Military Sale of 12 T-6Cs to Tunisia at an estimated cost of $234 million (~$275 million in 2023), including related spares, ground support equipment, and support. The sale is intended to provide replacement for the aging trainer fleet of Tunisian Air Force and to train pilots for counter-terrorism and border security missions.[42]
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Data from Global Security,[72] USAF,[73] EASA[74] and USN[75]
General characteristics
Performance
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