On November 29, 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Defence announced its decision to replace the Fuji T-7 trainers used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) with Textron Aviation Defense’s Beechcraft T-6C Texan II turboprop aircraft. Textron collaborated with Kanematsu Corporation in submitting the winning proposal. Another bid by Shintoa Corporation focused solely on providing a ground-based training solution. This move represents a major upgrade to Japan’s primary flight training capabilities.
