Airbus Future Jet Trainer

The Airbus Future Jet Trainer is a preliminary project by Airbus for a supersonic military trainer that could also serve as a light ground attack aircraft. After Spain retired its CASA C-101 trainers in 2022 it kept flying Northrop F-5 aircraft for training, and Airbus engineers developed the concept with that Spanish need in mind. The aircraft was also meant to be suitable for training pilots for the Future Combat Air System. After a few reports about the project in 2020 and 2021 little more was heard until 2023, when Airbus announced a cooperation with Leonardo, the maker of the twin-jet M-346 trainer. Aviation Week reported in June 2023 that the Airbus business in Spain had proposed a new advanced jet trainer but could not secure government backing for the programme. The project has stayed at the stage of a preliminary design study.