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Lockheed Martin is set to deliver an additional Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD) to the US Navy to enhance its Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter training.
The contract announcement follows the successful delivery of the first training device in 2020 to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The latest contract has options for three more CFTDs.
The Sikorsky CH-53K aircraft is the most modern and powerful helicopter in US Department of Defense (DoD) inventory, capable of moving troops and equipment from ship to shore, and to higher altitude terrain, more quickly and effectively than ever before.
“Marine pilots have smoothly transitioned from the training device to the actual CH-53K’s fly-by-wire cockpit and completed missions in the fleet environment – such as air-to-air refueling,” said Flash Kinloch, Lockheed Martin, vice president of Training and Simulation Solutions. “Training in this highly immersive virtual environment permits flight crews to train the full scope of tasks that can be performed on the aircraft in a safe, cost effective and realistic manner.”
Flight crews will train on the full scope of Marine Corps heavy lift missions, including external lift operations, using the full-mission flight simulator that also replicates the various environmental conditions in which the aircraft is likely to fly. Through this new effort, Lockheed Martin is helping the Marine Corps expand proven and critical CH-53K Flight Training with training capability to more Marines.
The training devices include a full cockpit for the aircraft operated by a pilot and co-pilot, an instructor operating station as well as a brief/debrief room. The newest training devices will include upgrades that improve system performance, increase cost savings, and more closely align to the CH-53K aircraft for increased training realism.
