Leonardo back in T-X trainer game

WASHINGTON - Leonardo is returning to the Air Force T-X training jet competition and will be proposing its T-100 with U.S. subsidiary DRS as prime contractor. The Feb. 8 announcement follows a falling-out between the Italian firm and Raytheon, its original partner in the trainer competition. The firms confirmed in February that they would not pursue the program together, which would have had the final assembly built at a new check-out facility in Meridian, Miss. The DRS-led T-X team retains the key partners from the Raytheon-Leonardo venture. Leonardo DRS will be supported by CAE USA in the design and development of the T-100 ground-based training system (GBTS), the firm said. Honeywell will also provide twin F124 turbofan propulsion engines. The Leonardo-Raytheon partnership broke down after Leonardo resisted Raytheon’s pressure to lower the price of the jet. (Source: Defense News 02/08/17)