Utah Company to Modernize Avionics on US Military Texan II Trainer Aircraft

The US Department of Defense has awarded Borsight a $2.1-billion contract to upgrade the military’s T-6A Texan II training fleet.

The project will encompass avionics work for the aircraft and related simulators, with the Utah-based company to perform tasks for 10 years.

The firm will provide services across US Air Force and Navy bases in Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida.

Made by Textron Aviation, the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II is among the primary systems used under the Joint Primary Pilot Training, a US Armed Forces program delivering basic mobility, command and control, special operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for future airborne troops.

The plane measures 33 feet (10 meters) long, has a wingspan of similar length, and features a two-seat capacity to support instructor-student switching during live flights.

Users can arm it with NATO standard weapons, precision capabilities, onboard virtual solutions, and a digital terrain elevation system.

It is fitted with a four-bladed Hartzell propeller and a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine with 1,100 horsepower.

The T-6A has a maximum speed of 280 knots (322 miles/519 kilometers per hour), operational altitude of 31,000 feet (9,144 meters), and a range of 900 nautical miles (1,036 miles/1,667 kilometers).