Milestone for Saab jet manufacturing in West Lafayette
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Sweden-based aerospace manufacturer Saab has shipped the last of five T-7A Red Hawk aft fuselages from its factory in Sweden to Boeing’s production site in St. Louis. Production of the fuselage will now be transferred to Saab’s facility in West Lafayette. The first units are expected to come off the assembly floor in 2023.
T-7A Red Hawk is an all-new, advanced pilot training system designed for the U.S. Air Force to train the next generation of combat pilots.
“Saab’s proud 85 year legacy of designing and building aircraft continues and we’re delivering on our promises. I’m excited to see the transfer of T-7A production to the United States at our state-of-the-art facility in Indiana,” said Erik Smith, president and chief executive officer of Saab in the U.S.
In October 2021, Saab officials cut the ribbon on the 100,000-square-foot, $37 million research and manufacturing facility at Purdue University’s Discovery Park District.
The Indiana-produced aft, with its fully installed systems, will then get shipped to the Boeing plant in Missouri.
As part of the manufacturing process, Boeing splices together Saab’s aft section with the front section. This is followed by assembly of the wings, fins and tail to become a complete test aircraft for use in the flight test program.
“Developed with an engineering approach based on digital models, the T-7 represents a revolutionary approach to developing aircraft. The T-7 demonstrates Saab’s forward-thinking approach to international growth and underpins our position as a world-class aircraft company and unique business partner,” said Jonas Hjelm, head of Saab’s Business Area Aeronautics.
In April, Saab and Boeing rolled out the new jet fighter in an elaborate ceremony in St. Louis.