T-7A Red Hawk beddown noise comparison

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is acquiring the Boeing-Saab T-7A Red Hawk aircraft. The T-7A is a new advanced transonic single-engine jet trainer proposed to replace the aging 1960s-era supersonic twin-engine Northrop T-38 Talon. The DOD is proposing to beddown hundreds of the T-7A across at least five U.S. bases. Drawing from analyses conducted in support of base-specific Environmental Impact Statements spurred by the National Environmental Policy Act, this paper compares the predicted single-event and cumulative noise exposures that may be introduced by the T-7A at three southern Air Force Bases (AFB): Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Columbus AFB, and Laughlin AFB. Consistent with DOD guidance, cumulative noise exposure comparisons are presented in terms of acreage and population within specific Day-Night Average Sound Level contours and supplemental noise metrics. This paper also describes key challenges in modeling the T-7A.