Lockheed Martin’s second T-50A accomplished an initial test flight from the Greenville, South Carolina final assembly and check out facility. Photo: Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin has confirmed that the second production ready T-50A aircraft has begun flight testing at its advanced pilot training center in Greenville, South Carolina. The T-50A is Lockheed Martin’s offering in the U.S. Air Force’s $16 billion T-X program designed to introduce a new trainer aircraft that can mimic the fourth and fifth generation fighter jets such as the F-22 Raptor and the F-35.
In February 2016, Lockheed Martin announced its plan to offer the T-50A in the APT competition and build the aircraft at a final assembly and checkout (FACO) facility in Greenville. Lockheed Martin formally unveiled its T-50A FACO and operations center in August 2016.
Lockheed Martin has also developed the T-50A ground-based training system to accompany the T-50A aircraft.