L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded a $69,384,000 firm-fixed-price contract for contractor operated and maintained base supply of the U.S. Air Education and Training Command fleet of 178 T-1A trainer aircraft. Work will be performed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB, Oklahoma; Columbus AFB, Mississippi; and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2022. This award for option four is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,900,000 are being obligated at the time of award. U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
The Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk is a twin-engined jet aircraft used by the United States Air Force for advanced pilot training. The T-1A is used in the advanced phase of Air Force Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training for students selected to fly strategic/tactical airlift or tanker aircraft. It is used also for training Air Force Combat Systems Officers in high and low level flight procedures during the advanced phase of training. It also augmented or served in lieu of the T-39 Sabreliner in the Intermediate phase of US Navy/Marine Corps Student Naval Flight Officer training until the joint Air Force-Navy/Marine Corps training pipeline split in 2010 and now remains solely in operation with the U.S. Air Force, leaving the Navy with the Sabreliner pending its eventual replacement.
The swept-wing T-1A is a military version of the Beechjet/Hawker 400A. It has cockpit seating for an instructor and two students and is powered by twin turbofan engines capable of an operating speed of Mach .78. The T-1A differs from its commercial counterpart with structural enhancements that provide for a large number of landings per flight hour, increased bird strike resistance and an additional fuselage fuel tank. A total of 180 T-1 trainers were delivered between 1992–1997. The first T-1A was delivered to Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in January 1992, and student training began in 1993. Another military variant is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force T-400 (400T) trainer, which shares the same type certificate as the T-1A.
U.S. Air Education and Training Command (AETC) was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force’s nine major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force. More than 48,000 active duty and Air Reserve Component members and 14,000 civilian personnel make up AETC. The command has responsibility for approximately 1,600 aircraft. AETC is headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Joint Base San Antonio Texas. AETC is the primary training and professional education command in the Air Force. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC is a company based out of 555 Industrial Drive South, Madison, Mississippi, United States. Vertex Aerospace is a leading aftermarket aerospace defense company providing high-quality aircraft maintenance, technical and supply-chain support, product manufacturing, assembly services, and engineering capabilities.
