Analysis: Military training, are turboprops killing jets?

USAF T-6 Texan II and T-38 Talon fly in a dissimilar formation.

Since the early 1960s, the trainer aircraft market has been dominated by jets, favoring types such as the MB-326, Fouga Magister, L-29, Jet Provost first and then the MB-339, Alpha Jet, L-39, Hawk.

The last decade has brought a change in this trend as many air forces have started to replace their old jet fleets with turboprop aircraft. A notable example is the recent purchase of the Pilatus PC-21 by France and Spain.

This choice is not only linked to cost and performance, but to a marked change in the training syllabus.

In the early 2000s, the pilot training process underwent a radical change following the introduction of modern and technologically advanced combat aircraft. This led the armed forces to adapt their pilot training.

Until a few years ago, training for young pilots consisted mainly of three phases: initial phase with a basic propeller aircraft, subsequent transition to a light jet and finalization of training in front-line fighter aircraft.

Today, fighter pilots make a further platform transition, flying advanced trainer jets such as the M-346.

The Italian aerospace company Leonardo was the first to develop this type of aircraft, revolutionizing the training program. With performance similar to fighters, advanced jet trainers allow air forces to offload the work done by light jets and front-line fighter aircraft. This is why military flight schools can choose to conduct the intermediate phase with turboprops rather than jets.

The proof is provided by the market, today manufacturers aiming to develop new jets are looking at the LIFT (Lead In to Fighter Training) phase. Some examples are the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk or the Airbus Future Jet Trainer. Nations that cannot introduce these types for budgetary reasons send their students to foreign flight schools such as the Italian International Flight Training School.

In very rare occasions student pilots have switched from turboprops to modern fighters, as the gap between the two platforms is too wide. This is why we expect France and Spain to soon introduce an advanced jet trainer to complement the PC-21.

Speaking to a USAF F-35 instructor he told us that "trainers lay the foundation for successful training on modern fighter aircraft and their equipment must be similar to that of the latter."

In terms of performance, modern turboprops and basic jet trainers are very similar, however, there are armed forces that believe that jet training is more effective as the behavior of the aircraft is closer to that of fighters.

Written by Matteo Sanzani