Lockheed to supply F-35 training systems to Marine Corps

Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a contract modification for $64 million from the U.S. Navy to produce F-35 training systems for the U.S. Marine Corps.

The fixed-price-incentive-firm contract, announced Wednesday by the Defense Department, calls for one lot of F-35 Lightning II Training Systems.

The system prepares pilots for the aircraft by blending multiple training media that include simulators, electronic classroom lessons, flight events and other lesson formats.

For training, pilots start in the classroom, with interactive courseware and training support, then they move to the F-35 Full Mission Simulator's 360-degree display system. It uses F-35 software and a 360-degree visual display system that reproduces the jet's sensor and weapons employment.

While the Full Mission Simulator acts as the primary teaching tool for pilots, some use the Deployable Mission Rehearsal Trainer, which is used aboard aircraft carriers, or the Mission Rehearsal Trainer, a smaller version of the Full Mission Simulator.

The training system can support programs for all three variants of the aircraft flown by the U.S. military.

Work on the contract will be performed mostly in Florida and Virginia, with the rest taking place in Oregon, Ohio, California and the United Kingdom.

The Navy has obligated the full amount contract at the time of the award from fiscal 2019 Navy aircraft procurement funds, with none of the funding expiring at the end of the fiscal year.

Work on the contract is expected to be completed by July 2021.