In 1952 the US Air Force formulated a requirement for an 'all through' jet trainer that would train pilots from basic to wings standard. The winner of this contest was Cessna, whose model 318 featured seating for two side by side, two small turbejets and a straight wing. The first prototypr designated the XT-37 flew for the first time on October 12 1954.

From 1955 until 1959 534 T-37As were produced. In 1959 production switched to the T-37B, which introduced the more powerfulJ69-T-25s, improved avionics and optional wingtip tanks. Some 449 T-37Bs were built.

The final production Tweet or 'Tweetie Bird' (named after the cartoon character) model was the T-37C, 269 of which were built specifically for export. Compared to the T-37B, it has a higher takeoff weight and two underwing hardpoints for rockets or bombs.

Plans to replace the USAF's T-37s with an all new jet trainer faltered when the fairchild T-46 Eaglet was canceled in 1986 due to program management problems. Cessna then proposed substantially upgrading the T-37 to Garrett turbofan powered T-48 standard, but instead the aircraft's replacement will be the long awaited JPATS winner, the Pilatus PC-9 based Raytheon Beech T-6 Texan II. In the mean time the USAF T-37 have been ubdergoing a service life extension program.