Status of US Navy's UJTS programme

The Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is the US Navy’s effort to replace the ageing T-45C Goshawk.

It began with a Request for Information (RFI) in early 2024, followed by a second RFI in March 2025, which refined requirements, notably dropping the need for carrier landings.

The programme has shifted away from requiring full carrier-capable functionality. According to the 2025 RFI, the new trainer is no longer required to perform actual carrier landings or touchdown on carrier-like runways.

Instead, pilots will conduct Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) with 'wave off' training only, supported by advanced ground-based simulators and live-virtual-constructive (LVC) training systems.

As of mid-2025, the competition has narrowed to three primary aircraft:

• Textron/Leonardo M-346N, a navalised version of Leonardo's M-346 Master
• Boeing/Saab T-7A Red Hawk, already selected by the USAF for its T-X programme, with a navalised version proposed for UJTS
• Lockheed Martin - KAI TF-50N, a naval-optimised version of the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle

Additionally, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has pitched its Freedom Jet, emphasising its ability to perform FCLP, touch-and-go landings, and sustain a 16.000-hour airframe life. However, it has not been officially listed among the three main contenders in Navy documentation.

The programme is moving toward a formal competition, with a contract award expected in FY 2027. At least 145 aircraft are planned, with production ramping up in the late 2020s into the 2030s.

UJTS Timeline

2026

• Navy expected to issue a formal Request for Proposals (RFP)
• Competitors (M-346N, T-7A, TF-50N, possibly SNC Freedom Jet) submit full bids

January 2027

• Contract award planned, the Navy will select a single aircraft to replace the T-45C Goshawk

2028 - 2029

• Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) phase
• Initial test aircraft produced, evaluated, and certified

Early 2030s

• Full-rate production begins
• Procurement of at least 145 aircraft
• Fleet introduction gradually replaces the T-45C Goshawk through the decade

Credit photo: Manolito Jaarsma (Scramble Archive) / Credit images: Textron, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and SNC