Northrop T-38 Talon
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twin-jet supersonic trainer that first flew in 1959 and entered U.S. Air Force service in 1961. Developed from Northrop's N-156 lightweight fighter project, it was the first trainer built for supersonic flight; 1,187 were produced between 1961 and 1972. Most surviving Air Force aircraft have been modernized as T-38Cs with glass cockpits, and the type still flies the advanced pilot-training syllabus, while NASA flies its own Talons to keep astronauts proficient. Structural renewal programs are intended to keep the fleet working until the T-7A replacement begins taking over in 2033.