Some Navy fighter pilot trainees in T-45 Goshawk trainers can still earn carrier qualifications, though graduation no longer requires it. The Navy is evaluating new training methods, including virtual environments, and plans to replace the T-45 fleet with a new jet trainer that will not mandate carrier landing touch‑and‑go training. Recent photos captured 26 student aviators — 17 E‑2 students, seven international military students and two strike students — completing carrier qualifications aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in June 2026. CNATRA and NAVAIR said carrier qualifications are required for E‑2 and foreign student pipelines but optional for strike students when deck time permits. Officials emphasized that carrier qualifications demand high skill, focus and teamwork. The Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) will replace the T-45 and may alter syllabus requirements after 2040, but current discussions remain premature. The Freedom jet proposal and the M‑346N competition are still in source selection, and concerns persist about removing traditional FCLP training in favor of simulated environments that cannot fully replicate live carrier operations. The Navy aims to finalize the UJTS selection next year, after which deliveries will begin, while the existing T-45 fleet continues to support training pending any changes to carrier qualification requirements.