Raytheon-Led Team Offers T-100 For Air Force T-X Program; CAE’s Gene Colabatistto Comments

Raytheon has teamed up with CAE, Finmeccanica and Honeywell to introduce the T-100 training jet as part of their efforts to compete for the U.S. Air Force’s T-X trainer aircraft program.

The T-100 aircraft is a variant of the Alenia Aermacchi-built M-346 training jet and comes with a ground-based training platform, Raytheon said Monday.

Gene Colabatistto, group president for defense and security at CAE, said the T-100 system and integrated simulation platforms aim to provide training capabilities for the service branch’s fighter jet pilots.

Gene Colabatistto

Honeywell’s aerospace business will supply F124 twin-turbofan engines for the training jet through International Turbine Engine Co., Honeywell’s joint venture with Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.

The service branch released in March 2015 the key performance requirements for the T-X trainer program that seeks to replace its fleet of T-38 planes.

These requirements include aircraft sustainment and simulator visual acuity and performance.