• Flying the sim in company with a Hawk synthetic entity. Credit: CAE
    Flying the sim in company with a Hawk synthetic entity. Credit: CAE
  • 79 Squadron Trainee, Flying Officer Iain Roberts-Thomson, operates the Hawk Simulator on a training evolution over a simulated Perth at RAAF Base Pearce. Credit: Defence
    79 Squadron Trainee, Flying Officer Iain Roberts-Thomson, operates the Hawk Simulator on a training evolution over a simulated Perth at RAAF Base Pearce. Credit: Defence
  • A Cubic P5 pod on a RAAF Hawk 127. Credit: CGD
    A Cubic P5 pod on a RAAF Hawk 127. Credit: CGD
  • Once modified, all 33 aircraft will be almost identical to the Hawk 128 T2 Advanced Jet Trainer. Credit: BAE Systems PLC
    Once modified, all 33 aircraft will be almost identical to the Hawk 128 T2 Advanced Jet Trainer. Credit: BAE Systems PLC
  • An A27 Hawk 127 operated by No 76 Squadron participates in a training activity over Lake George in the Australian Capital Territory. Credit: Defence
    An A27 Hawk 127 operated by No 76 Squadron participates in a training activity over Lake George in the Australian Capital Territory. Credit: Defence
  • Credit: BAE Systems
    Credit: BAE Systems
  • The new system will allow for P5 TCTS on three Royal Australian Air Force aircraft that currently do not use the system, including: MK-127 Hawk, F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet and the F/A-18G Growler.
    The new system will allow for P5 TCTS on three Royal Australian Air Force aircraft that currently do not use the system, including: MK-127 Hawk, F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet and the F/A-18G Growler.
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RAAF pilots undertaking their Introductory Fighter Course (IFC) at both RAAF Bases Pearce and Williamtown are now able to utilise Hawk 127 full mission simulators (FMS) incorporating the upgrades being delivered to the Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) under the Capability Assurance Program (LIFCAP).

The three simulators (one at Pearce with 79 Sqn, two at Williamtown with 76 Sqn) delivered by CAE Defence are now fully operational with pilots having already commenced the first weapons and tactics course this month. Two LIFCAP conversion courses have already been conducted at Pearce with the FMS there operational since July last year.

The LIFCAP, which brings the RAAF's fleet of 33 Hawk 127 LIFTs to an almost identical standard to the Hawk 128 (in service with the RAF), is delivering an enhanced training capability which will be used to train pilots ahead of their progression to FA-18 A/B Classic Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters when they are introduced into service from late 2018 (for more detail on the LIFCAP see our story here and here). Currently 20 aircraft have been upgraded, with a projected finish date around March 2019.

The FMS represent an expanding Australian footprint for military simulation training leader CAE, with its systems already in service for other ADF platforms including C-130J, KC-30A, MRH90, and S-70A Blackhawk. The company is also contracted to provide maintenance and training services of the FMS under the ADF Simulators Through Life Support (ASTLS) contract.

CAE VP and general manager (AsiaPac/ME) Ian Bell said while there was still a very important role for ab initio training, it was becoming increasingly evident that students were learning differently with the new training media.   

“Much of what we do is about keeping pace with how kids learn, and keeping them interested through the media we have at our disposal.”

Officer Commanding 78 Wing Group Captain Chris Hake said ultimately the FMS would deliver an improved quality of student pilot, both going through the course and at their final graduation.

“If something’s going wrong in the simulator and the student isn't getting a concept we can stop and fix it right then and there – we don't let that latent defect keep going until the candidate gets to No 2 Sqn Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and has to say it wasn't explained previously.”

GPCAPT Hake said the use of synthetic entities to enhance fighter training produced better results than linking two simulators which had been tried with Hornet simulators.

“For a training course, this can create a real bottleneck, with over demand placed on the simulator – we're very fortunate because we've got trainers here that have that experience of using the Hornet simulators.”

As an example, during the weapons and tactics course a student can fly a bombing run as a wingman to a pre-recorded synthetic entity flown by an experienced pilot. Debriefings of live flights were also assisted by utilising data recorded from the Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) pod now carried by the Hawk

For Hawk conversion training the candidates are flying 65 hours live and 25 hours on the sims. GPCAPT Hake said this was on top of the 190 hours of live flying for the undergraduates pilot's course (in the future 25 per cent will be simulated). For the weapons and tactics component of the IFC they were flying 80 hours live and 45 hours simulated.

“As the instructors become more familiar with the FMS there is potential for those ratios to change to something more akin to a 55:45 live to simulation ratio.”

While the FMS were capable of being linked to other simulators, as had been done previously during Operation Coalition Virtual Flag, it wasn't really part of 78 Wing's core business, according to GPCAPT Hake, with 76 and 79 Squadrons really focusing on the core requirements of fighter training required under the scope of the IFC.

“I'm really happy with what they've achieved with this new capability and I'm extremely confident that we're going to continue to deliver outstanding pilots that will adapt to go up in any of the modern fighters and be able to hold their own.”

The author travelled to RAAF Base Williamtown as a guest of CAE Defence. 

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