PATUXENT RIVER, Md. –
The Navy declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the T-54A Marlin II training aircraft in May, giving future naval aviators a modern platform to prepare them for the advanced aircraft they will fly in the fleet.
“Achieving IOC reflects our commitment to provide student naval aviators with the most realistic, effective training aircraft to equip them for today’s complex battlespace,” said Capt. Duane Whitmer, Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office program manager. “We know what’s at stake for our nation’s sons and daughters. The T-54 team’s tireless dedication and hard work are making an impact on the next generation of pilots.”
The T-54A multi-engine training system is replacing the aging T-44C Pegasus aircraft at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, which the Navy has begun to retire. The T-54A incorporates the latest avionics and navigational updates, including a pressurized, state-of-the-art cockpit with side-by-side seating and a jump seat. The platform provides advanced instrument and asymmetric engine handling training to student naval aviators selected for multi-engine and tilt-rotor fleet communities.
The aircraft’s technology also captures data that allows for conditioned-based maintenance plus, a capability that helps the Navy trend aircraft health over time to facilitate improved maintenance planning and efficiency.
The Navy has received 15 T-54A aircraft and plans to procure up to 64 aircraft per the contract it awarded to Textron in 2023. The T-54A meets training requirements for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and select U.S. allies through 2055.
As part of Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft Programs, the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office manages the T-54A, T-44C and other training aircraft. The program office develops and oversees diverse and carrier-capable naval flight training systems in which student pilots and undergraduate military flight officers acquire mission-critical aviation skills to carry out current and future missions.
From the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office. 