CAE has been awarded a contract from Cobham Aviation to produce airborne tactical mission trainers to support the instruction of UK Royal Navy observers using four modified Beechcraft King Air 350ERs.
CAE’s airborne tactical mission trainer will be adapted from a ground-based system developed for Lockheed and is capable of simulating inputs such as electronic support measures, tactical display and datalink equipment.
Cobham began conversion work on the new fleet in 2009 under a deal worth £57m ($91.7m).
Under the UK’s military flying training system programme, King Airs will replace the navy’s remaining British Aerospace Jetstream T2s from 2011.
Each King Air will have a Telephonics 1700 search radar, two student consoles and two instructor operator stations.
The navy’s active fleet of Jetstream trainers has been reduced to eight Rolls-Royce / Turbomeca Astazou-powered airframes, according to Flight Global.
