Joint Primary Aircraft Training System

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Joint Primary Aircraft Training System, usually just called JPATS, was an aircraft procurement program of the United States in the 1990s by the USAF and USN, a merger of 1980s era training aircraft programs. The winner was declared in 1995 entered service a few years later as the T-6 Texan II. The program in part, result of the cancelled Fairchild Republic T-46 of the 1980s.

In 1995 the result was the selection of Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas, to develop and deliver the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS). The aircraft would be manufactured by Raytheon, Beechraft parent company starting in the late 1990s and into the early 21st century. The companies that initially responded and competed were Vought, Northrop, Grumman, Rockwell, Beechcraft, Lockheed, and Cessna. However, by the time the selection was over, Northrop, Grumman, and Vought were all part of same larger company. Over 700 JPATS are intended to be bought over time.

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[edit] History

In 1988, the United States Navy (USN) and the United States Air Force (USAF) were at a unique moment in history, they reached a point where they could work together, and provide a cost-effective solution to pilot production, specifically primary training. Both services needed to modernize their fleets of training aircraft. JPATS the earlier 1980s era Air Force NGT (Next Generation Trainer) requirement.

The USAF and the USN cleared the first major obstacle on the subject of commonality. Both services preferred a different seating configuration. The USAF preferred the side-by-side configuration, while the USN preferred the tandem configuration. These preferences may have been due to each service’s previous experience in training aircraft. The T-37 is a side-by-side configuration, while the T-34C is a tandem arrangement. The hurdle was cleared when both services agreed on the tandem configuration.

The JPATS selection process began on 18 May 1994, when the RFP was issued. Seven contractors responded to the JPATS RFP:

According to the Federation of American Scientists, this was one of the longest and most closely scrutinized competitions ever. The process took fourteen months and entailed evaluations of seven aircraft, seven cockpit mockups, and thousands of pages of contractor proposals.

Beechcraft/Raytheon, with a modified (70% redesign) Swiss Pilatus PC-9 Mk 2 aircraft, was awarded the prime contract on 22 June 1995. The contract contained a nine-year period of performance through FY2004, and a production run continuing through FY2017. Concurrent with the contract award, Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) was also provided the GBTS Request for Contract Change Proposal (CCP).

It was designated under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, skipping some numbers use the same name and nickname as the older T-6 Texan which, while also used under the Post 1962 system, had been originally designated in a holder system. The T-1 Jayhawk "overwrote" the T-1 Seastar, but the Seastar had been named under the 1962 system also. The nickname 'Harvard II' was also considered for the JPTATS winner.

[edit] Current Status (circa 2006)

  • USAF 172 Active 105 Ordered 172 Required.
  • USN 43 Active 2 Ordered 234 Required.

[edit] Contenders

The seven main Contenders included:

In 1994 Grumman and Northrop merged to form Northrop Grumman*

Vought was bought by Northrop from LTV in 1992*

  • Cessna 526 CitationJet
  • Vought Pampa 2000 Vought (initially LTV, then owned by Northrop (1992), then part of Northrop Grumman (1994)) with heavily modified FMA IA63 called Pampa 2000.
  • SIAI Marchetti S.211 partnered with Grumman; (Northrop Grumman)*
  • Rockwell Ranger 2000
  • Lockheed T-Bird II,partnered with Aermachhi for Aermacchi MB-339; note in 1995 Lockheed merged to be come Lockheed Martin.
  • Embraer EMB-312H Super Tucano partnered with Northrop; (Northrop Gumman)*. Special Super Tucano with better engine and other improvements (aka Tucano II).
  • Beech-Pilatus PC-9 Mk2, which won the competition. The PC-9 Mk 2 had a 70% redesign by Beechcraft and was further developed into, and entered serve as, the T-6 Texan II, and made by Raytheon (which has owned Beechcraft since the 1980s).
  • Promavia Jet Squalus was early contender but did not progress.
  • Soko G-4 Super Galeb did not progress.

[edit] Quotes

"The T-6A Texan II aircraft is the safest, most cost-effective, joint primary pilot training tool available in the free world today."

– Colonel Toni Arnold, Director, Flight Training SPO, Aeronautical Systems Center.

[edit] References

GANTT, Michael - Strapping in and Bailing Out: Navy and Air Force Joint Acquisition And Procurement.

[edit] See also

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