USAF Finishes VDTS/SBIS Upgrades on T-38Cs



A T-38 Talon on the ramp at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Photo: U.S. Air Force.

The U.S. Air Force has completed its $50 million video data transfer system (VDTS) and speed break indicator switch (SBIS) modification program on 446 Air Force and 10 U.S. Navy T-38C Talon aircraft. The T-38, which first entered service for the Air Force in 1961, is primarily used by the Air Education and Training Command to train combat-ready pilots for fighter and bomber pilot training.

According to Air Force program officials, the VDTS/SBIS program upgraded the aircraft’s video recording capabilities and added a new speed brake position indicator that didn’t previously exist. Angela Micheal, the aircraft division chief and T-38 system program manager, said the modifications were necessary service life extension upgrades for the T-38Cs.



Additionally, the T-38 will be undergoing upgrades for the USAF Avionics Component Integration Program, which provides avionics upgrades such as ADS-B and component redesigns to address aircraft obsolescence.

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