Northrop Takes The Lead From BAE On $11B USAF T-X Trainer

While Northrop Grumman isn’t doing much at the upcoming Farnborough Air Show — at least publicly — they certainly shook things up today with their announcement that they are swapping places with BAE Systems to take the lead role in the competition for the $11 billion, 350-plane T-X trainer program.
While the BAE-Northrop team is still offering BAE’s Hawk jet, being the lead or prime contractor on a program is where the real money lies, so this move highlights Northrop’s political and manufacturing power:
“The decision to realign was reached mutually by all team members to better leverage Northrop Grumman’s domestic development and production capabilities, which were realized through the company’s establishment and investment in its Centers of Excellence last year. The Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, L-3 and Rolls-Royce team is committed to providing the Hawk as the most capable and affordable training solution for the Air Force.”
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