T-6Cs to Train the Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa

T-6C

The Royal New Zealand Air Force has made an interesting choice. They’re about to begin replacing their 12 locally-designed CT-4E basic trainers, and 4 leased Beechcraft King Air multi-engine conversion trainers, with 11 Textron Beechcraft T-6C basic/intermediate trainer turboprops. The NZ$ 154 million package includes the planes, 2 CAE operational simulators, computer-based training courseware, and customized RNZAF pilot training syllabi.

It’s an interesting platform choice, since the RNZAF has no high performance aircraft to train for.

US Air Force Weapons PEO to Present Future Armament Plans in April

• The Air Force’s Program Executive Officer for Weapons will hold an industry day on April 15/16 at Eglin AFB, FL, to present its armament acquisition plans. This PEO has been headed by Brig. Gen. Scott Jansson since April last year. The event is hosted by the Armament Systems Development Division, an office helping research coming from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) make it into programs of record. Their current efforts include the Airborne Weapon Layer (AWL) and the Anti-Jam Precision Guided Munition (AJPGM).