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The T-50 program completed a significant milestone in February in its Full Scale Development phase—gantry-assisted drilling of the first wing. More than 3,800 holes were drilled into the left T-50 wing skins and understructure using a digital automated drill system. Drill system performance and hole quality were excellent. All of the holes drilled were well within design tolerance, exhibiting repeatable high quality. The automated system, one of the “lean” processes implemented in manufacturing the T-50 FSD wings, eliminated the need for eight major hard tools. The system drills and countersinks each hole on a single pass, significantly reducing the total amount of manual work required for drilling the wing.
The supersonic T-50 will have the maneuverability, endurance, and systems to prepare future pilots to fly such next-generation fighters as the F-22 and the Joint Strike Fighter. These same characteristics give the T-50 an excellent light-combat capability. The concept for the T-50 was developed through joint studies by engineers in Korea and at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company under guidance of the Republic of Korea Air Force
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