AJT update

The AJT programme is approaching several major milestones on its way to delivering the first MFTS student course in November 2011. The first of these is the infrastructure milestone on 29th October 2010. All of the major building work is now complete and the buildings are receiving their final fitting of computer equipment in readiness for the extensive testing programme and compliance demonstrations that precede the formal handover of the infrastructure from the prime contractor Babcock, to Ascent. The Hangar will house the 28 Hawk T Mk2 aircraft that provide the exciting new training aircraft for the MFTS course. Many of these Hawk aircraft are currently in storage at RAF Shawbury and will return to RAF Valley as soon as their accommodation becomes available. The Squadron building will house 19(F) Sqn, the tactical weapons training unit at RAF Valley, along with all of the classroom and synthetic training facilities. The second major milestone comprises the delivery of the first Full Mission Simulator (FMS), six Flight Training Devices (FTD) and ten Desk Top Trainers (DTT) by 16th Jan 2011. Over the next 6 months the entire suite of synthetic training devices will be installed and tested at RAF Valley. The DTT allows the student pilot to take his Personal Learning Device (PLD)and dock it with a Hands on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) control from the Hawk aircraft. The student pilot is then able to interact with a computerised aircraft model on his PLD, using the HOTAS controls. The FTD is a part task trainer, produced by Lockheed Martin, which houses two re-hosted mission computers from the T Mk2 aircraft. This system allows the student pilots to practice all of their checks and procedures as well as rehearsing missions in a realistic synthetic environment that covers the majority of UK airspace and airfields. CAE, based in Montreal Canada, are producing two FMS. These utilise a ‘dome’ visual display with fully immersive projection, together with ‘g’ cueing systems to provide realistic training for each student pilot against a multitude of other synthetically generated aircraft.

In the future these FMS will provide the majority of the training in the student operational scenarios, including simulation of synthetic radar, surface to air missile, air to air missile and decoy systems. All of this training will be provided with ground instruction by Ascent Qualified Instructors (QI) and RAF Qualified Flying Instructors (QFI) in the air. All of these milestones present a challenging, exciting and thoroughly rewarding next twelve months. The MFTS buildings are due to be opened by a VIP ceremony in December 2010. The Squadron building will be named the ‘Moran’ building after Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran who visited the building on one of his final formal engagements prior to his untimely death in May 2010.

Posted on: 31/10/10