T-38 TALON

T-38 Talon, world's first supersonic trainer

T-38 military airplane flying in the sky showing the belly side

Program Overview

More than 72,000 U. S. Air Force pilots have trained in Northrop Grumman Corporation's T-38 Talon, the world's first supersonic trainer when it entered service. Nearly 1,200 Talons were produced from 1961-72, and more than 500 are currently operational with the Air Force and NASA.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has produced a replacement wing for the T-38 that will help to extend the service life of the aircraft, introduced in 1961, until at least 2020.

T-38 wings are single units from tip to tip, constructed of aluminum alloys with control surfaces reinforced with internal honeycomb. Design improvements developed from usage and were retrofitted into many operational T-38's.

Every T-38 Talon built by Northrop Grumman was delivered on time, at or below the contract price and with performance as promised. The final T-38 was delivered to the Air Force in 1972.

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T-38 Media Contact

Dianne Baumert-Moyik
(321) 361-2363