Boeing’s T-X trainer has been selected to replace the T-38 Talon jets used to train U.S. Air Force pilots since the early 1960s.
The contract for 351 to 475 aircraft could be worth as much as $9.2 billion, Bloomberg reports, and should keep Boeing’s St. Louis plant busy through 2034.
Boeing developed the jet with Sweden-based Saab, beating out competitors from Lockheed, which partnered with Korean Aerospace Industries, and Italy-based Leonardo.
The contract win could be worth many billions more in the long run for the company, as air forces around the world follow the Pentagon’s lead in selecting their next training jets.
