Raytheon Aircraft won a USAF and USN Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition with the Beech Mk.II trainer, derived from the Pilatus PC-9.
Raytheon’s contract with the U.S. joint armed services to provide up to 700 T-6ATexan II JPATS trainers through the year 2014 continued to pay dividends for the Wichita based airframer. The Air Force and Navy exercised an option for 22 additional Texan IIs, an order valued at almost $65 million.
The first production T-6A Texan II flew on 15 July 1998.
Apart from the JPATS program, Raytheon has orders for 138 T 6As, including a 45 airplane deal with the Greek Air Force.
The first production Beechcraft AT-6 light attack aircraft made a ceremonial first flight on 20 August 2013 at Wichita, Kansas. The single-engined 1,600shp (1,190kW) Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop aeroplane took to the air at about 10:30 local time with test pilot Lionel Alford at the controls.
The aircraft was loaded with a pair of 66 gal (250 litres) drop tanks, two inert GBU-58 laser-guided bombs and two LAU-131 seven-shot rocket launchers. The AT-6 was also carrying a L-3 Wescam Mx-15Di electro-optical infrared camera. Although a production aircraft, it is a company-owned asset. Beechcraft has not secured an order for the type. When asked why the company would fly the first flight with such a heavy load, Derek Hess, the company’s senior vice-president for business development, says: “Because it’s so easy.”
The aircraft had demonstrated air-to-air gunnery with .50 caliber machine guns and the potential exists to employ Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinders to counter certain aerial threats.
The AT-6TH Wolverine attack variant is derived from the T-6C Texan trainer and is designed to carry out close air support and surveillance missions. The AT-6 has an L3 Wescam MX-15D multi-sensor package that includes colour and IR cameras, laser designator, laser illuminator, and laser rangefinder.
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) received eight AT-6TH Wolverine light attack aircraft in 2025 acquired from the United States as part of its ongoing fleet modernization program.
Assigned to Squadron 411, part of Wing 41 based in Chiang Mai, the AT-6TH Wolverine, manufactured by U.S. company Textron Aviation, is designed for close air support, armed surveillance, and tactical training missions.
T-6A Texan II
Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68, 1100 hp
Length: 33.268 ft / 10.14 m
Height: 10.696 ft / 3.26 m
Wingspan: 33.301 ft / 10.15 m
Wing area: 175.346 sq.ft / 16.29 sq.m
Max take off weight: 6299.7 lb / 2857.0 kg
Weight empty: 4601.8 lb / 2087.0 kg
Max. speed: 310 kt / 575 km/h
Cruising speed: 230 kt / 426 km/h
Initial climb rate: 3996.06 ft/min / 20.30 m/s
Service ceiling: 35007 ft / 10670 m
Wing loading: 35.88 lb/sq.ft / 175.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 850 nm / 1574 km
Endurance: 3 h
Crew: 2
All Aero 