Taiwan unveils new indigenous T-5 Brave Eagle advance jet trainer

The first T-5 Brave Eagle jet trainer prototype. Photo c/o Kyodo News.

Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) launched the first prototype of their newly developed T-5 Yong Ying “Brave Eagle” advance jet trainer in ceremonies held on 24 September 2019 in Taichung, central Taiwan.

The development of an advance jet trainer is a first for Taiwan, which previously had experience in developing a basic jet trainer, the AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung and the F-CK-1 Ching Kuo light fighter in the past.

The launching of the jet trainer is expected to improve Taiwan’s indigenous aircraft development, with the project creating 1,200 jobs at home, and another 800 new jobs by 2021. The project has costed around NT$68.6 billion (US$2.2 billion) to date.

AIDC plans to start mass production of the new aircraft by 2023 and deliver orders until 2028.

The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) plans to acquire at least 66 units of the new jet trainer to replace older AIDC AT-3 trainers and some of the Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II light combat aircraft that are now used for training pilots.

The introduction of the new T-5 advance jet trainer will also simplify the training process. Currently ROCAF fighter pilot candidates will have to complete training from a primary propeller training aircraft into the AT-3 basic jet trainer, then to the F-5F Tiger II two-seat light fighter before proceeding to train on more advanced fighter aircraft like the F-16B Fighting Falcon.

The new T-5 would replace the AT-3 and F-5F, and pilots reaching proficiency with the new jet can proceed to train in more advanced two-seat fighter aircraft like the upcoming F-16D Block 70 Viper.


[1] Kyodo News
[2] South China Morning Post