T-50A aircraft begins flight operations in South Carolina
NewsDecember 06, 2016
GREENVILLE, Sc. Flight operations for Lockheed Martin's T-50A have begun over Greenville, South Carolina with an initial test flight taking place on November 19th.
The T-50A is the official Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) offering to the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT)/T-X competition. Officials announced that Greenville is the final assembly and checkout facility (FACO).
The aircraft is purpose-built around fifth generation thinking, and if Lockheed Martin wins the competition, it will train the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II pilots, as well as pilots for frontline fourth generation aircraft.