**Location and Context**
– **Location**: Christchurch, New Zealand
– **Date**: Late November (Year unspecified, assumed to be 2023)
**Aircraft Selection**
– The **Japanese government** has chosen a new basic trainer aircraft for its air force’s pilot training program.
– Selected aircraft: **Beechcraft T-6 Texan II**.
– Associated company: **Textron Aviation Defense**, alongside **Kanematsu Corporation** as a Japanese partner.
**Bidding Process**
– Japan issued a bid invitation in **August**.
– Other competing aircraft included:
– **Pilatus PC-7 MKX** offered by **Subaru**
– **Hürkus trainer** presented by **Daihyaku Shoji** in collaboration with **Turkish Aerospace**
– Another entry from **Shintoa Trading** was rejected for not proposing any aircraft by the **October 15** deadline.
**Evaluation and Contracts**
– The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that the T-6, including related ground training equipment, achieved the “highest evaluation score” in the second-stage evaluation.
– A formal contract for the acquisition of aircraft has not been finalized, and the total number of aircraft to be procured remains unspecified.
**Impact and Future Use**
– The T-6, likely the **T-6C** version intended for export, is set to replace 49 T-7 aircraft currently in the basic trainer role.
– It is noted that the number of T-6s may be lower as simulators will play a significant role in the integrated training system (ITS).
– The T-7, produced by **Fuji Heavy Industries** since **2002** (derived from the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor), is expected to begin retiring in **fiscal 2030**.
**Budget and Strategic Goals**
– The MoD’s fiscal **2025 budget proposal**, released in August, included plans to “acquire new primary trainer and ground training equipment” aimed at efficiently training pilots for advanced fighter aircraft.
**Recent Successes**
– Beechcraft’s T-6 has seen successes in the Asia-Pacific region:
– **Vietnam** is set to receive 12 T-6Cs, with the first three delivered last month.
– **Thailand** has accepted 12 T-6TH trainers and eight AT-6TH Wolverines are currently being delivered.
– **New Zealand** operates 11 T-6 aircraft in a training role.
**Author**
– **Gordon Arthur** is the Asia correspondent for Defense News and has extensive experience in the region, having covered military exercises and defense exhibitions across around 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific area.
