At the Tailhook Symposium in Reno, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) unveiled the Freedom Trainer, its contender in the US Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. The initiative seeks a replacement for the T-45 Goshawk and is projected to acquire more than 200 jets by 2030, with initial contracts expected in 2027.
The Freedom stands apart as the UJTS competition’s only clean-sheet design, offering modernized carrier-landing capabilities and cost efficiencies. Competitors—the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk, Lockheed Martin KAI T-50N, and Leonardo Textron M-346N—are all based on existing aircraft. Notably, the Freedom remains the only jet able to conduct carrier touch-and-go operations and full Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP), addressing a long-standing training challenge for naval aviators even though the Navy recently dropped that requirement from its solicitation.
With a 16,000-hour airframe and landing gear optimized for repeated heavy deck-style landings, the Freedom Trainer promises resilience and operational value, making it a strong candidate in the Navy’s high-stakes trainer replacement program.
