The U.S. Air Force awarded the Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. a $240 million contract for replacement wings for the T-38 Talon trainer aircraft, according to a statement issued Thursday by U.S. Department of Defense.
The T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, high performance and exceptional safety record.
T-38 trainers are primarily used by the Air Education and Training Command for joint specialised undergraduate pilot training (JSUPT), but the aircraft are also used by the Air Combat Command for its companion training programme and by the Air Force Materiel Command to test experimental equipment.
Israel Aircraft Industries was selected as a subcontractor in the USAF T-38 propulsion modernization program since at least 2015.
According to the IAI, replacement of wings is the result of a challenging process which included reverse engineering and having to transform the original T-38 drawings into advanced 3-D models.
According to the Department of Defense, work will be performed in Lod, Israel, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 2033. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received.