Asia Pacific Training aircraft

While the United States and many European nations are shrinking their combat aircraft fleets, numerous Asia Pacific countries are expanding theirs and the importance of trainer aircraft in the region is highlighted by their acquisition of fifth generation fighter aircraft.

David Oliver 

This is to cope with this demand for a more capable, cost effective flight training capability that will also optimize time in training and still produce highly motivated, capable and agile jet fighter pilots. This requirement is being addressed by the aerospace industry with several new and innovative training solutions.

The first is the universal adoption of the glass cockpit in trainer aircraft from the very beginning of the pilot training cycle. These include the Grob G120TP, Korea Aerospace Industries KA-1, Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, and the Turkish Aerospace Industries Hurkus, all basic turboprop trainers. The G120TP is being delivered to Indonesia, the KA-1 to South Korea and Indonesia, and the PC-7 Mk II to India, Malaysia and Brunei. With the Hurkus, that made its maiden flight on 29 August 2013, TAI are hoping to break into the Asia Pacific market.

In addition to Night-Vision Goggles (NVG)-compatible glass cockpits and Hands-On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controls, these basic training aircraft are equipped with Martin-Baker ejection seats, designed to ease progression up the training cycle through advanced to operational, thus improving the efficiency and flexibility of the flying training system.”

In most cases, a new generation training aircraft will be only one part of the total training package that will include various computer-aided devices that can range from virtual briefing rooms to Full Mission Simulators (FMS).” This is illustrated by Brunei’s contract to acquire a fleet of Pilatus PC-7 Mk II basic trainers that included the provision for CAE to build a PC-7 Mk II simulator for the Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre to be delivered in 2014 which will be used to train the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.”

The next step up in the evolution of the training aircraft is the development of embedded simulation and emulation systems making them into ‘flying simulators’ to make them ideal Lead-In Flying Trainers (LIFT)to fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft. This coincided with a new training concept, that of outsourcing fighter pilot training to an industry-led, military-backed training system. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) was one of the first to take this route when it awarded a UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) contract to Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock International, in 2008.

The first segment of MFTS was the establishment of the Advanced Jet Training (AJT) system at RAF Valley with a fleet of 28 BAE Systems Hawk T.2 aircraft that were ordered by a government-directed contract in 2006 and delivered to RAF Valley where they are operated by No IV (Reserve) Squadron. The aircraft are maintained in a new hangar on the Ascent complex Babcock engineers are able to undertake everything up to, and including major overhauls.

The T.2 has a glass NVG-compatible cockpit and an updated Head-Up Display (HUD) avionics using symbology and data to simulate aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon or Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. It also features HOTAS controls which are fully representative of current and future front line combat aircraft types, and twin open architecture mission computers hosting simulations of a wide range of sensor and weapon systems as well as a full featured INS/GPS (Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System) with moving map display. Updated software provides additional functionality by adding simulated radar and sensor capabilities that allows pilots to train using a virtual Defensive Aid Suite (DAS) and expand the range of simulated weapons to include medium air-to-air missiles, precision-guided weapons, and a gun, and synthetic threats from surface-to-air missiles. The Hawk T.2 has no hardpoints for real weapons.

The AJT infrastructure includes a new facility to house Full Mission Simulators (FMS), Flight Training Devices (FTD), Desk Top Trainers (DTT) and virtual mission brief/debrief facilities. The FTD is a part task trainee produced by Lockheed Martin, which houses two re-hosted mission computers from the T.2 aircraft that allows student pilots to practice all of their checks and procedures on touch screens as well as rehearsing missions in a realistic synthetic environment. Two CAE frontcockpit FMSs utilize 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, including several Russian types. These FMS provide the majority of the training in the student operational scenarios, and while most of the air-to-air combat training is carried out in the aircraft, much of the air-to-ground syllabus is taught and missions rehearsed in the FMS.

All ground instruction is carried out by Ascent Qualified Instructors and RAF Qualified Flying Instructors in the air.

The one-year AJT course comprises 120 flying hours plus 120 simulator hours including approximately 50 FTD hours. All the student pilots are treated as Operational Conversion Unit officers and the ethos behind AJT is to avoid acquiring knowledge or developing skills not required. As part of their advanced training, the students are given secret weapons briefings by the military.

The system makes the Hawk T.2 effectively a flying simulator, allowing the instructor to introduce basic and advanced air-to-air, air-to-ground, and electronic warfare scenarios both pre-planned and in real time while airborne. Potential ground threats can be inserted by the instructor via the data-linked system that can be shared by all the aircraft taking part in the sortie and they can be configured as either Red Air or Blue Air aircraft. On-board telemetry and video-recording systems are used as valuable After-Action Review (AAR) tools. Air-to-air training is typically carried out in a one thousand feet ‘bubble’ using a whole range of simulated weapons ranging from Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles to an internal cannon.

The initial six course members graduated from UKMFTS, who included two Royal Navy students, now look forward to converting to fly the Typhoon, Panavia Tornado GR4/A, or the US Navy Boeing FA-18C/D/E/F Hornet. A number of Indian Air Force instructor pilots have been trained on the Hawk T.2 system at RAF Valley prior to the introduction of the BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 AJT, 123 of which have been ordered for the Indian Air Force and Navy.

Another Asia Pacific Hawk operator is Australia that awarded BAE Systems a contract in July 2013 to upgrade the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fleet of 33 Hawk Mk.127 LIFT aircraft to T.2 standards. The upgrade package also includes three FMS with CAE Medallion-6000 image generator and Boeing’s Constant Resolution Visual System. These will also feature the CAE-developed Common Database (CDB), an open database architecture that enhances the ability to correlate and rapidly update databases to support training and mission rehearsal requirements. The upgrade programme will ensure the Hawks remain effective in training pilots for Boeing FA-18 Super Hornet and F-35 aircraft as they are introduced into RAAF service.

The first Asia Pacific country to embrace outsourcing for fighter pilot training was Singapore when the Singapore Defence Science and Technology Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a 20-year contract in November 2006 to support its Basic Wings Course. Lockheed Martin is providing aircraft, maintenance, simulators and instruction to the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s No 130 Squadron at RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia. The aircraft selected for the Basic Wings Course was the Pilatus PC-21 advanced turboprop trainer, 19 of which are being delivered to replace the RSAF’s S-211 jet trainers. Like the Hawk AJT, the PC-21 has avionics capable of emulating front line combat aircraft and with a suite of synthetic classroom training aids, that includes two Cassidian-built two Operational Flight Simulators, Level D FTDs, it provides simulated jet performance through a power management system that emulates the thrust-to-drag of a jet aircraft.

For Singapore’s Fighter Wings Course, the country ordered 12 Alenia M-346 Master LIFT aircraft in September 2010 through a consortium formed by ST Aerospace and Boeing. The 20-year contract includes FMSs with CAE Medallion-6000 image generator and Boeing’s Constant Resolution Visual System. The M-346s, which are fitted with embedded emulation and simulation systems (ETTS), will replace A/TA-4SU Skyhawks operated by RSAF’s No 150 Squadron based at Cazaux Air Base in France, where the RSAF conducts its Fighter Wings Course. However, following the loss of two prototype M-346s, they have been grounded.

Lockheed Martin has also announced a teaming agreement with Pilatus Aircraft, supported by Hawker Pacific, to compete for pilot training for the Australian Defence Force based on the RSAF Pilot Training Basic Wings Course. The consortium, known as Team 21, will compete for the AIR 5428 pilot training system programme against a BAE Systems, CAE and Beechcraft consortium that is offering the T-6C Texan II. Boeing, Thales and Raytheon are also expected to announce partners for their respective bids soon. The tender will close in February 2014, with selection expected by the end of June 2015 and Initial Operating Capability (IOC) targeted for 2015-17.

Lockheed Martin has developed a new Integrated Aircrew Training System (IATS) for operators of the KAI T-50 supersonic advanced jet trainer based on the UK AJT system. The T-50 is in service with the Republic of Korea Air Force and is being delivered to the Indonesian and Philippines air forces. The IATS is being offered to the Polish Air Force and the US Air Force for its T-X requirement.

While the region’s superpowers, India and China, are unlikely to consider outsourcing in the short term although both countries are facing serious pilot training challenges.

India is facing a serious crisis with its indigenous training aircraft. Firstly its Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) HPT-32 Deepak basic trainer was grounded in 2009 after a series of fatal accident and the entire flying training system had to be modified based on the training needs with the ageing HAL Kiran Mk.I basic jet trainer aircraft. The syllabus also had to be pruned down, especially in ab-initio training phase.

Secondly, HAL’s new HJT-36 Sitara intermediate jet trainer to replace the Kiran, is having serious flight and safety problems that has delayed its Initial Operating Capability which is now scheduled for the end of December 2013, but there are doubts that this can be achieved. Lastly, the Indian defence ministry and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are in a battle over which aircraft will replace the HPT-32.

The head of the IAF, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne has recently asked, Defence Minister A K Antony, Browne to scrap the project to build 106 HAL HTT-40 basic turboprop trainer aircraft in favour of ordering more Pilatus PC-7 Mk II aircraft, the first which was delivered to the IAF in February this year. The defence minister refused his request and ordered that the protracted development of the HTT-40 should continue with, as yet, no in service date.

China is also struggling with its increasing demand for fourth and fifth generation combat aircraft pilots for its rapidly expanding air force. Rigid selection and training regimes greatly limit the prospective pilot pool, and the result has been a shortage of qualified pilots for the rapidly expanding air force.

In the meantime, the cost of training pilots is increasing as training cycles are extended while new indigenous training aircraft, such as the HAIC L-15 advanced jet trainer are only beginning to be delivered to the PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force). The deputy head of the air force training command, General Xie Hong has been quoted as saying that as air force training has become more diversified and complex, all the signs indicate that there needs to be far reaching plans to revamp the pilot training programme, and that the PLAAF is making a lot of effort to develop and use flight simulators to shorten training and save costs.”

However, neither China nor India appear to be following the path of using embedded emulation and simulation systems in their training aircraft.

  ♞ Asiamilitaryreview