New Zealand, others to receive CAE flight training systems

MONTREAL, July 3 (UPI) -- A range of simulation-based training systems and services are being provided for military customers by Canada's CAE, the company announced. The contracts -- four in all -- have a combined worth of about $103 million.

The first award is from Beechcraft Defense Company LLC and is for the development and support of a comprehensive T-6C ground-based training system for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

The integrated training system will be comprised of two T-6C operational flight trainers, computer-based classroom training systems, and courseware customized for the service.

CAE, through a subsidiary, already has a long-term training support and maintenance service facility in New Zealands. The new training system will be part of a Beechcraft training solution aircraft the country is procuring from the company.

The two CAE-built T-6C operational flight trainers being provided will include a high-fidelity replica of the T-6C cockpit with a fully-enclosed 270-degree-by-70-degree field-of-view display system driven by the CAE Medallion-6000 image generator.

Under a second contract from Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, CAE will replace obsolete components and upgrade the visual systems on the German Air Force's Eurofighter simulators. The upgrade will include the addition of CAE's Medallion-6000 image generator, new high-resolution projectors, and dome display systems for the Eurofighter full-mission simulators, and Eurofighter cockpit trainers.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd tapped CAE to provide its CAE Medallion-6000 image generator for a T-50IQ full-mission simulator that KAI is developing for the Iraqi Air Force, while an unidentified customer is to be provide with a KC-135 boom operator weapon systems trainer, the company said.

"We are well positioned across a range of opportunities around the world, involving defense and security forces that increasingly recognize the benefits of simulation-based training," said Gene Colabatistto, CAE Group president, Defense and Security. "CAE is a skilled and experienced training systems integrator, and we are focused on pursuing long-term, integrated training solutions."