Industry: CAE supports Royal Australian Air Force Diamond Thunder distributed virtual training exercise

Simulators at bases in Williamtown, Tindal and Richmond networked for training and mission rehearsal

Silverwater, Australia, June 13 2017 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE recently supported the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) participation in the Diamond Thunder distributed mission training exercise, which saw the RAAF network various simulation assets across the country as part of its inaugural Air Warfare Instructor Course.

The Diamond Thunder Exercise involved the networking of F/A-18 simulators at both RAAF Base Williamtown and Tindal with the E-7A Wedgetail simulator at Williamtown and C-130J simulator at RAAF Base Richmond.  The Air Warfare Centre's Joint Air Warfare Battle Laboratory at Williamtown served as the exercise command centre to manage and coordinate the overall virtual training environment. 

CAE engineering staff at Richmond supported the integration and testing of the C-130J full-flight mission simulator (FFMS) onto the Australian Defence Training and Experimentation Network (DTEN). CAE also provided an exercise planner to assist with creating and executing the virtual training and mission rehearsal scenarios, and had staff within the Australian Defence Simulation and Training Centre to assist with the provision of the networking infrastructure to support this distributed virtual training exercise.

News Story: GA-ASI Goes Head-to-head with IAI for Australian UAS Contract

A US MQ-9B Reaper

by Mike Yeo

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has described its proposal for Australia’s armed medium‑altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) requirement. The company displayed a Reaper UAV and a complete ground control station at the Avalon Airshow last week and introduced its several Australian partners. Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)—the main rival for the Australian contract—also displayed its candidate UAV at the show, the Heron TP.

Project AIR 7003 is the name of the program to acquire the new MALE UAS. Australia’s 2016 Defense White Paper and accompanying Integrated Investment Plan (IIP) called for the procurement to “enhance battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.” It is not known how many aircraft or systems Australia is seeking, although the IIP allocated A$1-2 billion ($0.75–1.5 billion) for the project starting from 2018, with the selected UAS expected to enter Australian service in the early 2020s.

A Heron 1 in Australian service in Afghanistan

Team Reaper Australia comprises GA-ASI, Cobham, CAE Australia, Raytheon Australia and Flight Data Systems. AIN understands that the offer will be centered on General Atomics Certifiable Predator B variant of the Reaper. Cobham will offer through-life support and training while CAE, which provided a Reaper simulator for Italian Air Force, is expected to do the same for Australia. Raytheon will supply the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera payload, and Flight Data Systems will supply the flight data recorder required by Australia. 

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: GA-ASI forms team to supply Reaper drones to Australia

MQ-9B Reaper

by Richard Tomkins

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has formed a team with Australian industry to support an Australian military program for remotely piloted aircraft.

The partnering, announced at the Australian International Aerospace and Defense Exposition is composed of GA-ASI, Cobham, CAE Australia, Raytheon Australia, and Flight Data Systems.

"General Atomics Aeronautical recognizes the importance of working with Australian established partners, and we are very pleased to be joined in this endeavor by Cobham -- our key partner in Australia -- CAE Australia, Raytheon Australia, and Flight Data Systems," said Linden Blue, chief executive officer of GA-ASI.

"We have been working closely with the Australian Defense Force to understand the operational needs of AIR 7003 and are confident that our RPA System solution will provide mature, persistent, interoperable support to Australia's warfighters."

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

AUS: $14.5 million contract awarded for RAAF future generation fighter simulators

Defence has partnered with CAE to provide comprehensive support and training for the Royal Australian Air force’s (RAAF) Hawk MK127 training system.

Valued at approximately AU$14.5m over a 4.5 year period, the contract with CAE will see 9 new jobs created, 3 at RAAF Base Pearce and 6 at RAAF Base Williamtown.

The Hon Christopher Pyne MP today announced the in-service support contract for RAAF’s Full Mission Simulators acquired under Project Air 5348.

‘This contract will see CAE provide classroom and simulator instructors at RAAF Base Williamtown as well as maintenance and support services at both RAAF Base Pearce and Williamtown,’ Minister Pyne said.

‘The Hawk Mk127 Full Mission Simulators all feature a high-fidelity replica of the Hawk Mk127 cockpit and will play a vital role in preparing fast-jet air crews for the RAAF next generation fighter aircraft.’

The in-service support contract was awarded under a contract change proposal to the existing Australian Defence Force Simulator Through Life Support In-Service Support contract with CAE.

There will be a phase-in period for CAE while the full mission simulators become operational during the first half of 2017.

AUS DoD

News Story: General Atomics to launch ‘Team Reaper Australia’ at Avalon

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is set to officially launch an industry team for the AIR 7003 Phase 1 Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System project at the Australian International Airshow.

Representatives of Cobham, CAE Australia, Raytheon Australia and Flight Data Systems are scheduled to attend the event on February 28.

Read the full story at Australian Defence Business Review

Industry: Royal Australian Air Force surpasses 5,000 hours of King Air 350 simulator training at CAE’s Sale, Victoria training centre

A CAE Built Simulator operated by the
Royal Australian Air Force (File Photo)

Sale, Victoria, Australia, February 3, 2017 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - During a ceremony held today at CAE's Sale training centre, the Honourable Darren Chester, Member of Parliament (MP), joined officers from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and officials from CAE to mark the occasion of the RAAF surpassing 5,000 hours of simulator training since the training facility opened in 2014.

"Gippsland has a long, proud history of supporting the Australian Defence Force. We should also be proud of the businesses, organisations and individuals who work so hard in our community to help RAAF Base East Sale meet its operational and training objectives," said Honourable Darren Chester MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Deputy Leader of the House and Federal Member for Gippsland. "Activity on the base, including the Federal Government's $200M investment in establishing East Sale as the home of aviation training in Australia, is making an enormous contribution to economic activity in Gippsland. RAAF Base East Sale is a major employer in Gippsland and uses local businesses and contractors to provide needed goods and services. I'm pleased local employers and contractors, including CAE Australia, are benefiting from the opportunities being generated by the RAAF Base."

Industry: CAE supports both Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force participation in Coalition Virtual Flag exercise

Coalition forces from US, UK, Canada and Australia train together in distributed, integrated live virtual constructive (LVC) exercise

Montreal, Canada, September 14, 2016 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE recently supported both the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as they participated in Coalition Virtual Flag 16 (CVF16), one of the world's largest virtual air combat exercises.

Hosted by the United States Air Force, CVF16 took place in mid-August so that simulated aircraft could participate in the joint, multi-national air combat training exercise. Aircrews from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada participated. 

"These kinds of distributed mission training exercises, often involving both live and virtual assets, are becoming more critical as militaries and coalition partners look to cost-effectively prepare for operations and maintain readiness," said Gene Colabatistto, CAE's Group President, Defence & Security. "CAE brings a great deal of expertise and experience as a training systems integrator to help enable defence forces to conduct distributed mission operations and increasingly leverage more virtual training as part of these exercises."

Industry: Indonesian Air Force takes delivery of CAE-built ex-RAAF C-130H simulator

RAAF C-130H simulator

Sydney, Australia, September 7, 2016 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that the Indonesian Air Force has recently taken delivery and accepted for training a CAE-built C-130H full-mission simulator that was previously in-service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The Indonesian Air Force has acquired nine ex-RAAF C-130H aircraft along with the CAE-built simulator as part of a government-to-government agreement established several years ago. Airbus Group Australia Pacific, the prime contractor responsible for delivery of five of the C-130H aircraft along with spares and simulator, subcontracted CAE Australia to relocate the C-130H simulator and to provide the training facility to house it.

The CAE-built C-130H full-mission simulator is now installed and ready-for-training in the new facility, which is an extension of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angatan Udara (TNI-AU) C-130 training facility located at Halim Airbase near Jakarta.

"We are pleased to support the Government of Australia and Airbus in completing the transfer of the C-130H simulator to the Indonesian Air Force," said Peter Redman, Vice President and General Manager, CAE Asia/Pacific, Defence & Security. "We have maintained and serviced this C-130H simulator since its entry into training with the RAAF more than 15 years ago so it still has many years of service remaining to support the safe, efficient training of Indonesian Air Force C-130H aircrews."

CAE

Industry: CAE awarded contract to develop C-130J Fuselage Trainer for Royal Australian Air Force

An old RAAF C-130H, one of which will become the new simulator

Sydney, Australia, April 6, 2016 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that CAE Australia Pty Ltd was awarded a contract from Australia's Department of Defence Capability and Acquisition Sustainment Group (CASG) to develop a C-130J Fuselage Cargo Compartment Trainer for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The contract was signed during CAE's fiscal 2016 fourth quarter and included in the total value of contracts CAE announced today.

The C-130J Fuselage Trainer (FuT), which will be delivered to RAAF Base Richmond in Spring 2018, will be used to provide high-fidelity training to loadmasters.  The RAAF's C-130J loadmaster aircrews have responsibility for the loading and unloading of cargo on the C-130J Hercules aircraft as well as ensuring proper aircraft weight and balance.

News Story: Synthetic Environment Supports Australian C-130J Training Remediation Program

C-130J Simulator

By Nigel Pittaway

RAAF Base Richmond, Australia – Over the last year and a half, the Royal Australian Air Force has implemented wide-ranging changes to its Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircrew and technical training regimes, aimed at maximizing operational output in resource-constrained environments.

In addition to innovative ideas such as "seat agility" where C-130J trainee co-pilots learn to operate the aircraft from either seat in a range of expanded roles, the C-130J Training Remediation Program has seen the acquisition of a number of synthetic training devices for pilots, loadmasters and technicians, with the aim of migrating as much training from the real aircraft as possible.

The responsibility for Australian C-130J training lies with No. 285 Squadron at Richmond Air Force Base, west of Sydney and also home to the RAAF’s fleet of 12 C-130J-30 aircraft.

The commanding officer of No.285 Squadron, Wing Commander Jason Baldock, said at Richmond on Feb. 3 that, with the support of industry partners including CAE, Jacobs, Lockheed Martin and Virtual Simulation Systems (VSS), the increased use of synthetic training aids has seen the number of flying serials required on the real aircraft to be reduced to three.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: CAE adds to management team in Asia/Pacific region

• Andrew Rankin named Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, Asia/Pacific
• Air Marshal Geoff Brown (ret), former Chief of Royal Australian Air Force, named Chairman of CAE's advisory board for Asia/Pacific

Sydney, Australia, February 4, 2016 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced the appointment of Andrew Rankin as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for the Asia/Pacific region within the company's Defence & Security business unit. 

In addition, CAE announced the formation of an advisory board for the Asia/Pacific region to help guide the company's strategy and initiatives within the defence market segment.  Former Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, retired Air Marshal Geoff Brown, was named Chairman of CAE's Defence & Security advisory board for Asia/Pacific.

Industry: New Zealand Defence Force commences SH-2G(I) simulator training

SH-2G(I) Full-Mission Flight Simulator (FMFS)

Wellington, New Zealand, November 17, 2015 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - Today at the New Zealand Defence Industry Association (NZDIA) annual forum, CAE announced it has commenced the provision of maintenance and support services on the New Zealand Defence Force's (NZDF) SH-2G(I) helicopter synthetic training devices. 

The NZDF recently recommissioned a SH-2G(I) Full-Mission Flight Simulator (FMFS), which was acquired as part of the acquisition of ten SH-2G(I) helicopters. Over the past year, CAE installed the SH-2G(I) FMFS as well as six SH-2G(I) part-task trainers at Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Base Auckland.  CAE New Zealand Pty Ltd, with initial assistance from its subcontractor Beca Applied Technologies Ltd, will provide on-site maintenance and support services for the next 15 years.

News Story: New Zealand Issues RFP for Hercules Sim Training

A C-130 Hercules (File Photo)

By Nick Lee-Frampton

WELLINGTON — The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) on Oct. 16 issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the provision of simulator training for its C-130H(NZ) Hercules personnel.

The simulator will be used to conduct conversion to type training, continuation training and maintenance engine ground running training, together with initial night-vision goggle training.

The five aircraft fleet, already in RNZAF service for 50 years, underwent a life extension program (LEP) more than five years ago, originally intended to extend the aircrafts’ life only until 2017.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: CAE supports Royal Australian Air Force participation in Coalition Virtual Flag exercise

A CAE designed RAAF operated C-130J Simulator (File Photo)

Coalition forces train together in distributed, integrated live-virtual-constructive (LVC) exercise

Sydney, Australia, September 8, 2015 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE recently supported the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) participation in Coalition Virtual Flag 15, one of the world's largest virtual air combat exercises.

Hosted by the United States Air Force, Coalition Virtual Flag was conducted in parallel with Exercise Red Flag 15-4 so that live-flying and simulated aircraft could participate in the joint, multi-national air combat training exercise. Aircrews from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada participated. 

The RAAF's C-130J Full-Flight Mission Simulator (FFMS), located at RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales, was the first Australian Defence Force (ADF) FFMS networked to the Coalition Virtual Flag exercise that included live, virtual and constructive assets and entities. CAE supported the development, integration and testing of connecting the RAAF C-130J FFMS to the exercise through the Australian Defence Simulation and Training Centre (ADSTC) network, including support for security accreditation of the training centre facility. CAE also integrated and tested the Common Database (CDB) virtual gaming area of southern Nevada in the United States used in the C-130J FFMS.

Industry: CAE wins defence contracts valued at more than C$150 million

• MH-60R maintenance and rear-crew trainers for Royal Australian Navy
• Two UH-72A Lakota FTDs for U.S. Army
• Two full-mission simulators for undisclosed customer

Montreal, Canada, July 7, 2015 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that it has won defence contracts valued at more than C$150 million to provide simulation products as well as training services for global military customers.

Some of the key contracts include providing additional MH-60R training devices for the Royal Australian Navy, additional UH-72A Lakota flight training devices for the U.S. Army, and two full-mission simulators for an undisclosed customer in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region.

The contracts announced today are included as part of CAE's Defence and Security order intake for the first quarter. Also of note, the value of this announcement includes an order for two P-8A operational flight trainers for the U.S. Navy, which was communicated to trade media on June 29, 2015.

"Our focus on being a training systems integrator has enabled us to make good progress on the implementation of our strategy in the first quarter, which included the competitive win to provide the U.S. Army with long-term fixed-wing training services," said Gene Colabatistto, CAE's Group President, Defence & Security. "These additional contracts we are announcing today are all related to the extended use of simulation-based training as part of these programs, further demonstrating that global defence forces are increasingly adopting synthetic training for more of their training requirements."

Industry: CAE awarded contract from Boeing to develop four P-8A operational flight trainers for US Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

P-8A Poseidon (File Photo)

Tampa, Fla., USA, June 29, 2015 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that Boeing has ordered simulator hardware for four additional P-8A Poseidon operational flight trainers (OFTs). 

Two of the P-8A OFTs are for the United States Navy, which will bring the Navy's total to 18 P-8A OFTs. The other two P-8A OFTs are part of a United States Cooperative Program via the P-8 Production, Sustainment, and Follow-On Development Memorandum of Understanding (PSDF MOU) with the U.S. Navy to provide the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with a comprehensive P-8A training system.

The contract for the two RAAF P-8A OFTs was signed in CAE's fourth quarter of fiscal year 2015 and included in the value of contracts announced on April 8, 2015. The contract for the two U.S. Navy P-8A OFTs was signed in CAE's first quarter of fiscal year 2016.

USA: MH-60R Foreign Military Sales team supports Royal Australian Navy

<< A military representative “flies” the MH-60R Seahawk tactical operational flight trainer over Sydney, Australia, during a recent simulation event. In February, the Royal Australian Navy procured a trainer, similar to the one in this photo, to support training capabilities for its new MH-60R Seahawk fleet. (Photo courtesy CAE)

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – A team of U.S. Navy and defense industry contractors recently delivered an advanced helicopter training device to the Royal Australian Navy.

The MH-60R Foreign Military Sales (FMS) team from the Naval Aviation Training Systems Program Office (PMA-205) and Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, in conjunction with CAE USA of Tampa, Florida, defined and procured training devices to support aircrew proficiency and real-world mission rehearsal for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in February.

Industry: CAE wins contract for C-130J training systems for Royal Australian Air Force

In support of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) tactical role enhancement program for the C-130J, CAE has been awarded a series of contracts from Australia's Defence Material Organisation (DMO) and Lockheed Martin to upgrade and enhance elements of the C-130J training system at RAAF Base Richmond.

CAE is upgrading the tactical environment software in the CAE-built C-130J full-flight and mission simulator (FFMS) to enable the RAAF to create more realistic training scenarios and leverage the Common Database (CDB) capabilities for mission training and rehearsal.  In addition, CAE is updating the mission brief/debrief system on the C-130J FFMS using CAE Flightscape software to enhance training system effectiveness.

CAE is providing CAE Simfinity desktop trainers and instructor tools to bring high-fidelity virtual training to the RAAF's C-130J groundschool. CAE Simfinity Virtual Simulators (VSIM) and simulation-based courseware will support additional virtual training in the classroom for both pilots and loadmasters.

Industry: Royal Australian Navy formally begins MH-60R Seahawk training

CAE-built MH-60R simulator for RAN first to be certified to Level D 

Tampa, Florida, USA, April 1, 2015 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has accepted into service the first of two MH-60R Seahawk Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFT) along with an MH-60R Avionics Maintenance/Weapons Load Trainer (AM/WLT).  The MH-60R simulators are located at HMAS Albatross, which is near Nowra in New South Wales and home of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet Air Arm.

CAE also announced the MH-60R TOFT was formally certified to Level D by the Australian Defence Force Airworthiness Authority based on an evaluation conducted by an independent simulator evaluation authority. This marks the first time an MH-60R helicopter simulator has been formally certified to Level D, which is the highest qualification for flight simulators.

Industry: Second Australian Army MRH90 full-flight and mission simulator accepted for training

MRH-90 (NH-90) Taipan of the Australian Army

Silverwater, Australia, November 5, 2014 - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that the Commonwealth of Australia has accepted into service the second MRH90 full-flight and mission simulator (FFMS) located at Royal Australian Air Force Base Townsville in Queensland.

CAE also announced the MRH90 FFMS has been certified by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Airworthiness Authority to Level D under the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR) standards based on an evaluation conducted by an independent authority. This certification is equivalent to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Level D, the highest qualification for flight simulators.