T-6A trainer to get new avionics in $2.2B deal
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $2.18 billion contract to Borsight Inc. for a comprehensive avionics upgrade across the T-6A Texan II training fleet, the Department of Defense said in a release.
The 10-year contract will cover upgrades to both aircraft and simulator systems used for pilot training under the Joint Primary Pilot Training (JPPT) program.
The contract will run through January 2034, with work to be performed at multiple Air Force and Navy training installations, including Randolph, Laughlin, Vance, Columbus, and Sheppard Air Force Bases, as well as Naval Air Station Pensacola.
According to the Air Force, “Fiscal 2024 and 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,774,306 are being obligated at the time of award.” The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is overseeing the contracting activity.
The T-6A Texan II, manufactured by Raytheon Aircraft, is a two-seat, single-engine turboprop trainer derived from the Pilatus PC-9. The aircraft is used extensively by the Air Force and Navy to teach basic flying skills to new pilot candidates.
Its cockpit design features stepped tandem seating, allowing the instructor and student to switch positions as needed. The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 engine, delivering 1,100 horsepower, and is capable of reaching 18,000 feet in under six minutes. The Texan II is pressurized, fully aerobatic, and fitted with an anti-G system and ejection seats. Its avionics include sunlight-readable liquid crystal displays designed to replicate more advanced operational cockpits.
The Air Force says the new avionics package will enhance the T-6A’s training capabilities by aligning cockpit systems more closely with the operational aircraft cadets will eventually fly.
The T-6A has been a key part of the Air Force and Navy pilot training pipeline for over two decades. Its combination of reliability, performance, and cockpit technology has made it a mainstay of undergraduate flight instruction.