A hallmark of Switzerland’s aviation industry is the family of turboprop training and light attack aircraft produced by Pilatus, which have enjoyed significant popularity on the global market. Its predecessor, the PC-7, will soon mark its 60th anniversary and remains in demand. Since 2021, Pilatus has been developing the third generation of the PC-7, securing a number of orders, the latest of which came recently from Belgium. This provides an opportunity to take a closer look at the aircraft and its history.
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Development History
The PC-7 was developed as a modification of the piston-engine trainer aircraft PC-3. The prototype, equipped with a 550 hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 turboprop engine, made its first flight on April 12, 1966, but was soon seriously damaged during landing. This incident, along with limited interest from potential customers, led to the suspension of the program.
The project was revived in 1973 when the Swiss Air Force required a new training aircraft to replace the PC-3. On May 12, 1975, testing began on the new PC-7 Turbo Trainer prototype, powered by a 550 hp PT6A-25 engine. In addition to the new powerplant, it featured a redesigned wing with integral fuel tanks, strengthened landing gear (to accommodate a 57% increase in takeoff weight), a new cockpit canopy, and updated avionics. The tandem cockpit was not initially equipped with ejection seats, although some export versions received them starting in 1984. The aircraft has an all-metal construction and is noted for its clean aerodynamic design.
The Swiss Air Force sought a strictly training‑focused aircraft, but Pilatus anticipated greater international demand for a platform capable of performing light attack roles. As a result, the PC‑7’s wing structure was designed to accommodate six hardpoints for external stores with a total payload of up to 1,040 kg. These stations can carry bombs, rocket pods, and gun or cannon containers, including 20 mm armament. The aircraft’s targeting equipment consists of a basic optical gunsight, which limits the effective use of weapons to favorable weather conditions.
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Combat Use Across Continents
Pilatus’ decision to develop a dual‑role platform proved justified – most PC‑7 operators employed the aircraft in combat, primarily in counter‑insurgency missions. The first customers, Bolivia (24 aircraft) and Burma/Myanmar (19 aircraft), acquired the PC‑7 specifically for this purpose. Bolivian Turbo Trainers were even used in an air‑interception role against light aircraft operated by drug traffickers. Only two PC‑7s remain in service there today, while Myanmar continues to operate around a dozen.
In 1980, Guatemala received 12 PC‑7s, which were actively used in counter‑insurgency operations; none remain in service today. That same year, two more Latin American countries began receiving the type. Mexico became the largest PC‑7 operator globally, taking delivery of 88 aircraft and equipping six attack squadrons as well as an air combat training school. Early in 1994, Mexican PC‑7s were used during operations to suppress the uprising in Chiapas. Today, the Mexican Air Force retains roughly twenty PC‑7s, with the remaining aircraft replaced by U.S.‑built T‑6C+ models.
Chile acquired ten PC‑7s, becoming the only country to operate the Turbo Trainer within its navy rather than its air force. In Chile, the aircraft is used not only for training but also for coastal patrol and search‑and‑rescue support. The VT‑1 Squadron currently maintains seven aircraft in service.
The PC‑7 also saw use on both sides of the Iran–Iraq War. Beginning in 1980, Iraq received 52 aircraft, employing them as light attack platforms. Iran, on the other hand, acquired 35 PC‑7s starting in 1983 and used them primarily for pilot training.
Deliveries continued throughout the early 1980s. Angola received 27 aircraft and the UAE 31 in 1982, followed by Malaysia with 44 in 1983. That same year, the Swiss Air Force finally took delivery of its own aircraft – 40 in total. In the early 2000s, 28 Swiss PC‑7s underwent modernization, gaining updated cockpit systems with multifunction displays replacing traditional electromechanical instruments. These upgraded aircraft, designated NCPC‑7, are operated at the aviation school in Locarno alongside the more modern PC‑21. The Swiss Air Force expects to keep them in service until around 2040.
Austria received 16 PC‑7s in 1984, with 12 still active in the training squadron at Zeltweg. Among the final buyers were the Netherlands (13 aircraft in 1989, later modernized in Switzerland between 2013 and 2018), Botswana (seven in 1990), and Uruguay (six in 1992). France purchased five PC‑7s in 1991 for its flight‑test center (CEV); these aircraft were part of an Iraqi order left unfulfilled due to embargo restrictions. Two former French aircraft were later transferred to the Chadian Air Force, where they are used as light attack platforms.
Second Generation
In 1992, Pilatus developed the PC‑7 Mk II, a training and light attack aircraft combining the fuselage and avionics of the PC‑9 with the wing of the original PC‑7. It is powered by a 700 hp PT6A‑25C engine. The aircraft was designed to meet the requirements of the South African Air Force, which became its first customer.
Between 1994 and 1996, 60 PC‑7 Mk II aircraft were assembled in South Africa from kits and entered service with the SAAF under the name “Astra.” Starting in 2009, 35 of these aircraft underwent avionics upgrades. Other operators include Brunei with four aircraft, Malaysia with 31, and Botswana with five.
Two PC‑7 Mk II aircraft were delivered to Mexico, but no further orders were secured from that country. A significant breakthrough came with India, however. After abandoning hopes of bringing its indigenous turboprop trainer, the NTT‑40, to operational standards within a reasonable timeframe, the Indian Air Force ordered 75 PC‑7 Mk II aircraft. The entire batch was delivered by the end of 2015.
There were discussions of a follow-up order for an additional 106 aircraft. This was later reduced to 38, but the deal was ultimately blocked due to a corruption scandal.
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Third Generation
In November 2021, at the Dubai Airshow, Pilatus announced the development of a new variant, the PC‑7 Mk X. Interestingly, the prototype had already flown in August 2019, but the company did not publicize it for two years. It is likely that Pilatus management wanted to avoid creating internal competition with the heavier – and more expensive – PC‑21. The announcement came once it was clear that there would be a market for the lighter aircraft. Evidence of this is France, which ordered the PC‑7 Mk X shortly after acquiring the PC‑21.
The PC‑7 Mk X retains the fuselage of the PC‑7 Mk II, with Pilatus emphasizing its conservative all‑metal construction as an advantage over increasingly common composite aircraft. According to the manufacturer, this approach offers optimal strength and reliability for a training aircraft, as students in early stages often perform hard landings with high vertical speeds. The only significant change to the airframe is the addition of winglets at the tips of the wings.
The main differences from the previous version are in the avionics. Each cockpit is equipped with three large multifunction displays, providing an information layout similar to that used in modern combat aircraft. The cockpits are fitted with Martin-Baker ejection seats.
Alongside the RC-7 MkX, a Ground Based Training System (GBTS) is offered. In addition to established simulators and computer systems, the GBTS now incorporates augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies.
The first customer of the RC-7 MkX was the Netherlands. The decision to select this aircraft as a replacement for the older RC-7 models was announced on October 14, 2024, and the contract was signed in February of the following year. The contract covers the delivery of eight aircraft and two ground-based simulators starting in the first quarter of 2027. It is planned that six aircraft will be operational at any given time, one will be held in reserve, and one will undergo maintenance. The total projected annual flight hours for the aircraft are 2,150, with an additional 2,650 hours expected from simulator training.
Following the Netherlands, France announced its selection in December 2024. As part of the Mentor 2 program, France ordered 22 RC-7 MkX aircraft to replace Cirrus SR20 and Grob 120A models, along with 12 simulators, supplied by the French company Exail rather than Swiss providers. Aircraft operations and pilot training for the French Air and Space Force and the Navy will be managed by Babcock France.
The most recent confirmed customer is Belgium. On November 7, 2025, the Belgian government approved the acquisition of 18 aircraft to replace the 55-year-old Marchetti SF-260 fleet. The procurement is expected to follow a public-private partnership model: the aircraft will be operated by a private company, and the Belgian government will pay €40 million annually over a planned 20-year service period for these services.
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