The Lockheed Martin T-50A is soaring over Greenville, South Carolina with flight operations now underway. The initial test flight took place November 19.

The T-50A was announced as the official Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) offering for the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT)/T-X competition in February, and Greenville was announced as the final assembly and checkout facility (FACO).

The T-50A is purpose-built around 5th Generation thinking, and will train the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II pilots of tomorrow, as well as pilots for frontline 4th Generation aircraft. Building on the proven heritage of the T-50, the T-50A has more than 100,000 flight hours in its repertoire, training more than 1,800 pilots.

Lockheed Martin’s accompanying T-50A Ground-Based Training System features innovative technologies that deliver an immersive, synchronized ground-based training platform. The T-50A team also brings extensive experience in world-class, worldwide logistics support.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.