Air Power 2007: Common rotary wing training for Navy and Army | ADM Mar 07

1 March 2007

By Tom Muir

Smart thinking is bringing together Air 9000's planned phases 7a and 7b, concerned with Navy and Army helicopter training respectively, into the one joint training system.

When ADF helicopter training is harmonised with the Air 5428 Pilot Training System, the ADF will for the first time have a military flying training continuum comprising basic flying training, through to advanced training in fixed and rotary wing types, ending in conversion to operational types in Navy, Army and Air Force squadrons.

If all goes well and the business case is approved, we may soon see first pass approval granted for the establishment of an advanced helicopter training system for both Navy and Army aircrew.

The aim is to produce first class pilots and other aircrew with very high level decision skills and nil tolerance of error, who would then quickly adapt to operational roles.

Among the highpoints of a briefing for industry on Air 9000 Phase 7 was a push to combine the project's two sub phases (a and b) for Navy and Army helicopter training -which had very different in-service dates (ISDs) - into the one program.

Presumably Navy trainees will be first to benefit as Army's current training needs are presently being met under contract arrangements whereas Navy's needs are more pressing, hence the disparity in the ISDs.

Some years ago a review of the Army's and Navy's helicopter training by management consultants Keatsdale Pty Ltd recommended a mix of in-house and contractor provided support to improve training productivity and reduce costs.

The Oakey-based project office wrestled with the complexities of melding the differing ADF rotary wing flying training requirements into a common performance-based contract and for a while this major commercialisation activity seemed to be getting nowhere.

But since longer-term rationalisation of Army/Navy helicopter training was to be addressed under Air 9000 Ph.7, the shorter-term rationalisation of the Army's rotary wing flying training requirements moved forward with a single phase acquisition strategy based on an open tender with a 10 year contract envisaged.

Last month Boeing Australia was announced as the preferred contractor to provide a range of services including non-tactical flying training and maintenance training on Kiowa and Black Hawk helicopters, and courseware support for both.

The contract also includes maintenance of the of the Army Aviation Training Centre's fleet of 24 Kiowa and six Black Hawk helicopters at Oakey while other services include the provision of helicopters for Loadmaster training and crash response.

But while Army's Kiowa-based training requirements will continue to be met under this contract, with separate training arrangements being established for the ARH, the Navy's needs have been focussed on a more suitable lead-in trainer type as a matter of urgency to bridge the gap between current basic helicopter training on the Squirrel followed by costly hours in advanced training on Sea King and Seahawk (and eventually Super Seasprite or whatever replaces it if the SH-2GA program is terminated as now seems likely).

These last have been heavily curtailed due to the high tempo of RAN overseas deployments, which has not only impacted on training hours but also the currency of qualified naval aviators awaiting the introduction of the Seasprite.

To assist in maintaining hours (and hopefully increasing the retention rate of naval aircrew) three leased A109 helicopters are to be based at Nowra.

The lead-in trainer envisaged was an advanced light twin helicopter, wheeled, marinised and potentially capable of embarked operations.

Unfortunately this was going to cost considerably more in leasing and maintenance costs than savings from reductions in Sea King and Seahawk (and eventually Seasprite) hours, and since it went beyond the cost-neutral concept of the market test proposal, and there being no acquisition funds available, Navy's requirement was going to be doomed unless more funds were found.

In an effort to find the extra funds Navy developed an innovative solution which would see the rationalisation of the training and Maritime Support Helicopter requirements.

Known as the Maritime Interim Rotary Wing Training and Support System or MIRTASS, it proposed replacing the Squirrel and Sea King helicopters with one type that would satisfy both requirements.

Navy's thinking was that the economies and efficiencies gained under this solution could be achieved for less than the costs of the two current capabilities.

Formalised under Air 9001 in the 2004-14 DCP, this was seen to be an interim solution until the Air 9000 program could develop the requirement and capital funding for a permanent ADF solution around the 2013-15 timeframe.

But MIRTASS never got off the ground and instead Air 9000 Phase 7 ADF Helicopter Training System is about to take off.

Under Air 9000 Phase 7, Defence plans to introduce a comprehensive helicopter training system for Navy and Army aircrews.

Insofar as Army's needs were currently being met under contractual arrangements with industry, the emphasis was on meeting Navy's more immediate needs.

To this end a two phase arrangement was proposed with Navy as first cab off the rank under Phase 7A.

This sub phase had an in-service date (ISD) of 2010-2012.

Phase 7B was to provide a rotary wing training capability for Army, which builds on the capability established under Phase 7A.

This sub phase had an ISD of 2017-2019, roughly equivalent to the end of the 10-year contract due to be signed shortly.

However, at the industry brief for the proposed new helicopter training system it was announced the project office was pushing to combine the two phases with First Pass approval for a joint program sought this year (06/07) followed by a draft RFT in June or July and, all going well, the RFT proper released early next year with contract signature by the mid-2010.

Air 9000 Ph.7 would then be combined with Air 5428 - Pilot Training System, for which First Pass is anticipated around July/August 2007, into one training continuum for fixed wing and rotary wing students.

As envisaged, students graduating from basic and advanced flying training under Air 5428, possibly with their 'wings', would then separate, with RAAF pilots progressing onto further advanced fixed wing training and conversion to operational types, while Navy and Army pilots would then enter the HATS domain.

Here they would progress through basic and advanced rotary wing training after which they would also separate to role specific training.

Navy pilots would undertake maritime role specific training and conversion to S-70B Seahawk for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), or whatever replaces the SH-2GA Super Sea Sprite for anti surface ship warfare (AsuW), or the MRH-90 in maritime support roles (MSH).

If the given timeframe is maintained then one would have to assume that the Army's helicopter training contract with Boeing would have to be cancelled in favour of its replacement with common basic training and common advanced training segments under HATS. Of course it is entirely possible that Boeing might again be contracted to undertake these and other HATS segments.

It is anticipated that the helicopter training system requirement will cover provision of a new helicopter training fleet, a complementary simulation suite, likely comprising full motion simulators, fixed base simulators, part task trainers and computer-based training.

The aim is to acquire a modern training system that will reduce the training burden on operational types and minimise the time to graduate to full mission capability.

Synthetic and simulation training are considered to be particularly important for their benefits in developing decision skills and while it is envisaged that the educational environment will be spread across multiple campuses we suspect that most HATS flying training will be split between Oakey and Nowra.

The training syllabus will be developed, owned and controlled by the Commonwealth with indicative throughput for HATS being 60 pilots, 24 loadmasters, 12 observers, and eight aircrew.

In acquiring this training capability and the infrastructure and ongoing maintenance and support for the helicopters and simulation systems, Defence says it will consider the merits of Public Private Partnerships and Private Finance Initiative (PPP/PFI) versus traditional procurement on the basis of value for money.

These issues are currently being studied by the project office but it seems that a full-blown PPP/PFI arrangement is not considered to be viable.

Total investment for the helicopter training system is expected to be between $500 and $700 million (i.e. the combined figures for the two sub phases).

Obvious issues that will influence the final shape of the Helicopter Aircrew Training System include the introduction of the Air 5428 Pilot Training System (as an essential precursor to HATS), the need to maximise operational capability (in view of very limited pilot and aircraft numbers) and the introduction into service of new helicopter types (and new operational roles) including the ARH and MRH (and possibly the replacement for the Sea Sprite if other than an in-service type).

The mid-life upgrade of the CH-47Ds under Air 9000 Ph.5 will also have some influence on the HATS program, presumably due to any capability improvements or a life-of-type extension, and we would have thought, the mid-life upgrade or replacement of the S-70B fleet.

The introduction into service of the Amphibious Ships under JP2048 will require new roles and thus new training techniques for Army pilots, and presumably the proposal to acquire a helicopter training ship will supplement simulated deck landing training.

Here it is well to realise that shipboard launch and recovery is one of the most challenging and dangerous of all helicopter flight operations, as a recent Blackhawk tragedy illustrated. Ship-based helicopters must operate off rolling and pitching decks, in adverse weather conditions, and often within close proximity to the superstructure of the ship and intensive training is necessary if high levels of proficiency are to be achieved.

A helicopter training ship, possibly configured to replicate FFG or AWD deck landings, does not need to be a large vessel and something like one of the 56m Coast Guard/SAR vessels, supplied by Tenix to the Philippines, suitably modified, might prove a useful model.

Such training would of course supplement simulated deck landing training and of interest here is the work undertaken by Canadian scientists researching the utility of relatively low cost virtual reality training systems, in particular the training of pilots to make deck landings in Sea Kings in severe weather.

The VR approach was seen as a viable alternative to the state of the art (SOA) simulator for training deck-landing skills.

This implies that VRT could provide the means for low-cost simulation of other demanding helicopter training tasks, such as hovering, hoisting, or autorotations, or for less demanding tasks where strong reliance on visual and motion cues are not as critical.

A DSTO study of the Canadian DCIEM type virtual environment concluded that there were opportunities to employ Virtual Reality Training approaches in this country, suggesting that such VRT techniques had the potential to be highly cost effective part task training solutions.

The indicative requirement is for a twin-turbine, NVD capable, medium weight helicopter (3.5 - 5t.) with flight duration of at least 2.5 hours and equipped with a hook and 2-person hoist.

The project office does not specify a size or indeed a preference for wheels or skids, suggesting that these are issues which depend on proposals put forward by industry.

The helicopters' mission configuration may include the Thales Avionics binocular TopOwl HMSD which displays images from image intensifier and FLIR sensors, along with flight control symbology, day or night. The ADF's ARH and NH90 helicopters come equipped with TopOwl helmets.

Also required will be radar, FLIR/TV, rangefinder/designator and an optional EWSP, which will likely follow the EADS suite employed in the ARH and NH90.

This comprises the MILDS missile launch detection system, a laser warning receiver combined with an RWR developed and integrated by Thales, and MBDA's Saphir M chaff and flare dispenser.

If the optimistic timings of a draft RFT released by mid-2007 are maintained, the RFT proper will be out early in 2008 with contract signature by mid-2010.

The desire is to bring trainer aircraft into the program as follows (indicative aircraft quantities):

* Tender closes: 2nd Qtr 08

* Contract signature: 2nd Qtr 2010

* Mid - 2010: 2 aircraft (ie ASAP)

* Early 2011: 10 aircraft

* Early 2012: 18 aircraft

* Mid - 2012: 28 aircraft

* FOC (full operational capability): mid-2014.

Of concern to industry is the time taken between tender closure and contract signature as well as the unrealistic expectation that purpose built aircraft, or modified production helicopters, can be delivered within a month or two of contract award.

As might be expected the HATS briefing was delivered to a full house of local and international representatives of companies concerned with training and simulation systems, aircraft manufacturers, the legal and banking fraternities and others, less discernable as to their fields of interest but also looking for some of the action.

All are looking forward to clarification of the requirement in the expected release of a draft RFT later this year.