The Air Force has announced that the 50 year old fleet of T-38 Talons, the AF’s primary jet trainer, is being upgraded with a new ejection seat.  The Martin Baker seat will reportedly be a vast improvement over the prior version, integrating the parachute with the seat (so it no longer has to be carried to the jet by the pilot) as well as giving the T-38 a zero-zero ejection capability.

The modification includes sequenced ejection; in the original version of the T-38, each cockpit ejected independently of the other.  Now, either cockpit can command ejection, both seats will go, and the rear seat will always go first.

This is not an insignificant change.  In 2009, a rear seat crew member ejected while the front seat pilot did not.  Since the seats were independent, the front seater remained in the aircraft to impact.