Italy-based defense and aerospace conglomerate Leonardo has designated its U.S. subsidiary DRS as prime contractor for an industry team that will bid on the U.S. Air Force‘s T-X fighter pilot trainer contract.
DRS said Wednesday it will collaborate with CAE USA and International Turbine Engine Company to build a ground-based training system and propulsion engines for the team’s T-100 Integrated Training System offering to the Air Force.
ITEC is a joint venture between Honeywell‘s aerospace segment and Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.
The T-100 system is based on Alenia Aermacchi‘s M-346 trainer platform that some countries have used to train fighter aircraft pilots.
The formation of the DRS-led T-X contract bid team comes two weeks after Leonardo ended its partnership with Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) after both companies were “unable to reach a business agreement” on their joint pursuit of the trainer replacement program.
