Is Meridian still in T-X game?

After parting ways with Raytheon, the Italian-based Leonardo has gone solo in the US Air Force’s T-X trainer plane competition, but still plans to establish an American final assembly plant for its M-346 variant. The firm plans to announce that US location soon, according to Leonardo DRS chief executive Bill Lynn. Its T-100 will maintain the M-346’s two Honeywell F124 engines, which are manufactured in Arizona and CAE simulators in Tampa, Fla. DRS is Leonardo’s American presence. Boeing has now teamed with Sweden-based Saab; and Lockheed with Korea Aerospace Industries for the T-X trainer. Lynn declined to offer a short-list of assembly sites under consideration. Before dropping DRS as a partner, Raytheon had selected Meridian, Miss., as a final assembly location. Asked if Meridian remains in the running, Lynn declined to comment. Lynn was asked whether its status as a lone foreign company could affect its chances in the US competition. “This is going to be an American-built airplane with American jobs, so, I don’t think we run into any of these ‘buy America issues,’” he said. The foreign sourcing of the technology is similar for all three competitors. (Source: Flight Global 03/09/17)