T-7A Red Hawk and Curtis P-40 Warhawk

The U.S. Air Force’s new trainer jet just got a new name. The Boeing-built trainer jet formerly known as the T-X, has been named the T-7A Red Hawk. The advanced jet’s new name honors the legacy of the famous Tuskegee Airmen and the Red Tail Squadron.

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of African-American military aviators to fly for the American armed forces during World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen broke down racial barriers in the American armed forces and at home while flying successful combat missions over Europe.

Their squadrons were referred to as Red Tails because the Tuskegee Airmen painted the noses and tails of their planes with red rings to differentiate themselves from other units. The T-7A honors their distinctive style and unmatched legacy.

The Red Hawk also pays tribute to the Curtis P-40 Warhawk, an American fighter flown by the U.S. Army Air Forces’ first African-American fighter squadron. The T-7A Red Hawk gives the Air Force a versatile, cutting edge trainer jet that will evolve alongside the technologies and missions of the future while honoring the heroes of the past.

Acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan announced on Monday that the service's advanced trainer aircraft, the T-X, has officially been named the T-7A Red Hawk. The aircraft will feature a distinctive red tail that pays tribute to the signature red tails painted on the Tuskegee airmen's planes 75 years ago.

One of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, retired Col. Charles McGee, was on stage at the 2019 Air Force Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday as the T-7A Red Hawk was unveiled. McGee, 99, flew more than 400 combat missions in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

"The name Red Hawk honors the legacy of Tuskegee Airmen, and pays homage to their signature red-tailed aircraft from World War II," Donovan said. "The name is also a tribute to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, an American fighter aircraft that first flew in 1938 and was flown by the 99th Fighter Squadron, the U.S. Army Air Forces' first African American fighter squadron."