The Boeing (former McDonnell Douglas) T-45A Goshawk is the US Navy’s two-seat advanced jet trainer. The aircraft is jointly manufactured by Boeing and BAE Systems. The T-45A was selected to meet the US Navy requirement for an undergraduate jet pilot trainer to replace the TA-4J Skyhawk and T-2C Buckeye. The TA-4J was retired in 2003 and the T-2 will be retired in September 2004.The T-45A entered service with the US Navy in January 1992. From aircraft number 84 (first flown on? October 21, 1997), production switched to the T-45C variant, which features a new “Cockpit 21” with two 5-inch square monochrome CRT screens. The US Navy and Marine Corps have more than 160 T-45 Goshawks and a total of 234 is planned. The T-45TS pilot training scheme includes advanced simulators and computer assisted instruction as well as training flight programs.
Several modifications to the basic Hawk airframe were incorporated into the T-45 Goshawk design including: new twin nose-wheel with catapult launch T-bar; nose wheel steering for maneuvering within the confines of the carrier deck; strengthened airframe and undercarriage for catapult launches; relocated speed brakes; provision of under-fuselage tail hook; revised avionics; and modified cockpit layout for compatibility with frontline US Navy combat aircraft.
| Developing nation: | United Kingdom/United States. |
| Designer: | British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas. |
| Manufacturer: | Boeing. |
| Production line: | St. Louis, MO USA. |
| Task: | Lead-in fighter/carrier trainer. |
| First flight: | – T-45A April 21, 1998. – T-45C October 21, 1997. |
| First delivery: | October 1990 to Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River. |
| First carrier landing: | December 4, 1991 on the USS John F. Kennedy. |
| McDonnell Douglas/British Aerospace T-45A Goshawk. | |
| Crew: | 2. |
| Ejection seat: | Martin Baker Mk.14 NACES. |
| Wing Span: | 9,39 m. |
| Wing Area: | 16,69 m². |
| Length fuselage: | 11,17 m. |
| Length fuselage including probe: | 11,97 m. |
| Height: | 4,27 m. |
| Tail plane span: | 4,59 m. |
| Wheelbase: | 4,29 m. |
| Wheel track: | 3,90 m. |
| Engines: | One Rolls Royce/Turbomeca F405-RR-401 turbofan rated 26.00 kN. |
| Weight: | – Empty: 4.263 Kg. – Internal fuel: 1.312 kg. – External fuel: 2 x 591 liter drop tanks. |
| Max. take off weight: | 5.787 Kg. |
| Max. speed: | 997 km/h at 2.440 m. |
| Service ceiling: | 12.875 m. |
| Range: | 1.854 km without drop tanks. |
| Performance: | – max. rate of climb at sea level 2.128 m per minute. – take-off run to 15 m at max. take-off weight 1.189 m. – landing run from 15 m at max. landing weight 1.009 m. |
| g limits: | -3/+7.33 |
| Centerline hardpoints: | 1. |
| Under wing hardpoints: | 4. |
| Weapons: | Normally none, but light stores capability on two wing and one fuselage pylon. |
| Extra: | arrester-hook. |
| US Navy. | – 83 T-45A Goshawk- 91 T-45C Goshawk |
Mc Donnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk written-off by accidents:
| 04-06-1992 | 163601 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 17-08-1994 | 163629 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 17-08-1994 | 163639 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 17-03-1996 | 163627 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 01-11-1996 | 163627 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 15-04-1997 | 163634 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 11-12-1997 | 163640 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 19-08-1998 | 163632 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 21-02-2001 | 163601 | T-45A | ?US Navy. |
| 08-02-2004 | 165631 | T-45A | US Navy. |
| 12-07-2004 | 165… | T-45C | US Navy. |
| 22-03-2005 | 165… | T-45C | US Navy. |
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