DSEI 2025: Lockheed Martin touts TF-50 for UK jet trainer requirement

Sporting the colours of the RAF's Red Arrows display team, a model of the TF-50 was showcased at the DSEI 2025 event in London. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Lockheed Martin has showcased its TF-50 advanced jet trainer (AJT) ahead of an anticipated UK requirement to replace its BAE Systems Hawk aircraft at the turn of the decade.

A scale model of the twin-seat single-engined supersonic TF-50 was displayed at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition held in London from 9 to 12 September, sporting the colours of the Royal Air Force's (RAF's) Red Arrows aerobatic display team.

While no formal request for information (RFI) has yet been issued by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), Rob Wilkerson, director, capture management, Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, outlined to Janes the company's philosophy for the expected requirement that will see the RAF replace the Hawk T2 AJTs it uses for pilot training and the remaining Hawk T1s being flown by the Red Arrows.

For the Hawk T2 trainer replacement requirement, Wilkerson said the company's offering to the UK would likely be the TF-50 variant that improves on the baseline T-50 (co-developed with Korea Aerospace Industries) with advanced embedded training capabilities, with the TFD-50 display variant being pitched at the Red Arrows. “We assume [the RAF] will want to continue with the Red Arrows. The TFD-50 is already being used with the [Republic of Korea Air Force] Black Knights display team, and we think it could be a very easy transition for the RAF to work with them,” he said.