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Lynx Wildcat Training Contract

The new simulator will be based at RNAS Yeovilton.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Agusta Westland have concluded negotiations and signed a £76 million ($122 million) contract for the latter, “to design and develop an integrated training solution which includes the building and equipping of a new modern training centre for the AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopter.” Interestingly, the company says that, “development of training devices, equipment and media will start immediately, with the contract for construction of the facility to be awarded later this year.”

The UK MoD has 62 AW159 Wildcats on order, 34 for the Army Air Corps (AAC) and 28 for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm (FAA). The first aircraft will be delivered at the end of this year with initial operating capability in 2014 and 2015 respectively for the AAC and FAA.

The training centre will be located at RNAS Yeovilton, alongside Royal Navy and British Army AW159 Lynx Wildcat squadrons. The facility will provide training courses for Army aircrew and maintainers starting in January 2013, with training for Royal Navy aircrew and maintainers starting January 2014.

“This contract represents a step change in the way AgustaWestland is partnering with the MoD to deliver world-class training for front line crews, whilst ensuring we provide value for money within every part of the service,” said John Ponsonby, Senior Vice President Training, AgustaWestland. “This contract underlines AgustaWestland’s commitment to provide the highest quality of training to Lynx Wildcat aircrew and maintainers, thereby ensuring the front line units are fully prepared for whatever missions they may be asked to undertake.”

The Wildcat Training Centre will be equipped to provide air crew and maintainer training using a wide range of synthetic training technology including two Full Mission Simulators (FMS), a Flight Training Device (FTD) and a Cockpit Procedures Trainer (CPT). These devices will be built by Spanish company, Indra. AgustaWestland says that all devices will be capable of delivering Army or Royal Navy conversion and mission training.

Each of the FMS devices has a six degrees-of-freedom motion platform, with a visual system that complies with JAR-FSTD-H Level D requirements. The maintenance training facility will be equipped with a suite of synthetic training devices covering the aircraft’s mechanical, avionic and weapon systems. These devices will be supplied by Pennant Training Systems.

The training centre will also contain a suite of briefing rooms, integrated electronic classrooms and a learning management system will be operational and providing training for the Army from early 2013 and for Royal Navy from early 2014.

Earlier this year, media sources indicated that Algeria would be the first overseas sales opportunity for the Wildcat although no contract has yet been signed. AgustaWestland has already signed contracts in that country for the AW 101 and Lynx.

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