[1] Cessna responded with the 526, based on its 525 CitationJet civilian business jet.

The 526 and 525 shared 75% commonality including the wings, engines and landing gear.

The electrical- hydraulic- and fuel systems were also common to the two types.

The 526 had a redesigned fuselage featuring a tandem two-seat cockpit with zero-zero ejection seats; and a new empennage with a low-mounted tailplane instead of the 525's T-tail.

[1] The CitationJet did not succeed in the competition, which was won by the turboprop Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, a variant of the Pilatus PC-9.