Nichols Martin
The Boeing–Saab team has selected United Technologies Corp.'s Collins Aerospace business to provide an ejection seat and a landing gear system for the U.S. Air Force's future T-X trainer aircraft.
Collins said Thursday it will equip the training jet with the ACES 5 ejection seat designed to help protect a pilot's head and neck, prevent limb flail and and adjust ejection thrust based on the pilot's weight.
The landing gear will integrate hydraulics, wheels, dressing and brakes into one system designed to reduce maintenance requirements.
Boeing won a potential 16-year, $9.2B Air Force contract in September to manufacture up to 475Â T-XÂ trainers and 120 ground-based training platforms.
The service branch aims to achieve full operational capability status for the aircraft by 2034.
