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The prime has been tapped to deliver pilot training for the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon combat aircraft fleet.
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The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded £220 million ($414 million) in contracts to BAE Systems, which has been tasked with delivering advanced synthetic training for the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft pilots.
Specifically, the Typhoon Future Synthetic Training (TFST) contracts are expected to involve work on 10 high fidelity, immersive simulators, along with secure training facilities at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.
The facilities are to house complex combined training exercises using real-world mission software and tactics.
The contracts, delivered via Defence Equipment and Support, is part of a broader effort to increase the use of synthetic training in a bid to produce cost, time and sustainability benefits over live training.
“We pride ourselves in delivering world-class training capability as we understand how critical it is to deliver the highest quality skills and capabilities to the frontline,” Richard Hamilton, Typhoon program director, Europe, BAE Systems Air Sector, said.
“This contract builds on existing work to deliver synthetic training to the RAF’s Typhoon Force, which will eventually enable pilots from different locations to fly virtual missions together and provide the ability to ‘plug into’ other assets across air, land and sea.
“The investment will deliver a number of valuable operational benefits for the RAF, alongside the positive impact that the increased use of synthetic training will make to reduce carbon emissions.”
The contract is tipped to support approximately 120 jobs in the delivery of new infrastructure at two RAF bases, with a further 60 engineering jobs sustained at BAE Systems and further job opportunities across the supply chain.
[Related: DARPA selects BAE Systems for ‘revolutionary’ aircraft program]
