On 12 February 2025, the 451st Flying Training Squadron "Silverbacks", part of the 479th Flying Training Group at Naval Air Station Pensacola (FL) sent off their first Raytheon (Beech) T-1A Jayhawk to be retired.

 

The 451st Flying Training Squadron is at the forefront of history as it starts divesting the T-1A Jayhawk from its training inventory. The first T-1A, 92-0339/AP, has now departed Pensacola. With the final aircraft set to leave in July, the 479th Flying Training Group is hosting a celebratory farewell on 6 June 2025.

 

Now in the twilight of its career, the Jayhawk has played a vital role in shaping aviators for the fighter, bomber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and special operations forces communities.

 

On 21 December 2024, Scramble wrote about USAF's Jayhawk being almost retired. Nearly two decades ago, the transition of the undergraduate Combat Systems Officer (CSO) training from Randolph AFB (TX), to NAS Pensacola, marked a pivotal moment in aircrew development. That transition in 2010, ensured the continued evolution of navigator and CSO training, establishing NAS Pensacola as the premier training location. Just as that change reshaped the future of aircrew instruction, the divestment of the T-1A signifies another landmark evolution in Air Force education and operational preparedness. The advanced training mission at Pensacola will continue without interruption. Students will transitioning from the T-6A Texan II to the T-96 simulator, which will fully replace the T-1A in the training role.

 

The past years, the 451st Flying Training Squadron conducted advanced undergraduate CSO training in 21 modified T-1A aircraft in addition to the T-25 simulator training device. The modified T-1A has an additional student and instructor station in the after section of the aircraft. The after training stations receive flight information from the aircraft's avionics, Global Positioning System (GPS) and flight instruments, allowing simulated threats to be introduced to provide a virtual, real-time threat environment to students.

 

Credit photo: USAF

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