The long-suffering Boeing T-7A Red Hawk made its maiden flight of more than an hour

Boeing continues to work on the T-7A Red Hawk trainer aircraft. It was recently able to make its maiden flight.

Here's What We Know

The flight test was aimed at checking the operation of major systems, assessing the manoeuvrability and speed characteristics of the aircraft. During its maiden flight, the T-7A Red Hawk stayed airborne for one hour and three minutes.

The aircraft is being developed for the US Air Force. It will be a platform for training fifth-generation fighter pilots. The service wants to buy nearly 500 aircraft and the cost of the entire program could exceed $10 billion.

The Red Hawk will be a replacement for the T-38 Talon. However, due to a two-year delay, the US Air Force may be forced to invest in old Northrop Corporation planes, which have already been in service for more than 50 years.

Source: Boeing