Team 21 in bid for Australian pilot training contract

CANBERRA, Australia, April 4 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin Australia and Pilatus Aircraft have submitted a joint bid to provide the Australian Defense Force with a new pilot training system.

The two companies’ consortium, supported by Hawker Pacific, is known as Team 21 and submitted its proposal for the military’s AIR 5428 Pilot Training System earlier this week. The proposal is based on a proven training system configured to Australian requirements to deliver a fifth-generation training system that meets current and future needs.

Team 21 companies have provided Basic Wing Course training to the Republic of Singapore Air Force for the past eight years.

“Team 21 offers superior performance, a proven team in Australia and capability for the future,” said Raydon Gates, Lockheed Martin Australia chief executive. “We have an established track record and have now graduated 20 classes from a Pilatus PC-21-based pilot training program at RAAF Base Pearce (for Singapore). BWC has very similar mission and support systems as proposed for AIR 5428, significantly reducing risk to the Commonwealth.”

Switzerland’s Pilatus, maker of the single-engine PC-21 trainer plane, supports more than 140 military and civilian aircraft through its Pilatus Australia Pty Ltd. subsidiary.