CAE Wins Simulation and Training Services Contract Worth C$80 Million

CAE announced Thursday a series of defense contracts worth C$80 million awarded by its military customers in fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016 to provide simulation products and training services.

Among the contracts, the first announced was awarded by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to CAE to perform a major upgrade on the German Navy's Sea King MK41 helicopter simulator.

Under terms of the contract, the current Sea King instrument flight rules (IFR) training device originally built by CAE in the mid-1970s will be upgraded to a full-mission simulator. CAE will perform a range of updates, including the addition of the latest-generation CAE Medallion-6000 image generator with Common Database (CDB) architecture, enhanced synthetic and tactical environment simulation software, new vibration system, an improved instructor operator station, and a new brief/debrief station, the company press release said.  

The upgraded Sea King MK King MK41 full-mission simulator will be ready-for-training in 2017.

Ian Bell, CAE's Vice President and General Manager, Europe/Middle East/Africa said: "The operational requirements placed on the Sea King helicopter as it nears the end of its planned service life are driving the German Navy to increase the use of simulation as part of the training program.  This simulator upgrade will enable significantly more simulation-based training for Sea King helicopter aircrews, including ship deck landing and night vision goggle training."

Another contract was awarded by the Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to provide the Canadian Coast Guard with a CAE 3000 Series helicopter simulator that will feature cockpits for both the Bell 412EPI and Bell 429 helicopters.

The CAE 3000 Series helicopter simulator will feature CAE's revolutionary roll-on/roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the full-flight simulator. The Canadian Coast Guard, which is part of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, will acquire cockpits for both the Bell 412EPI and Bell 429 helicopters, which are used by the Canadian Coast Guard for maritime security and other fisheries activities.  The CAE 3000 Series Bell 412/429 helicopter simulator will be delivered in 2018 to Transport Canada's training centre in Ottawa.

The company press release has also listed a contract announced on February 11 awarded by the US Air Force to upgrade a range of KC-135 aircrew training devices under the KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) program.

In addition, CAE will be responsible for ensuring the training center facilities housing KC-135 aircrew training devices meet the required physical security and cybersecurity requirements established by the U.S. Department of Defense to network the training devices to the classified Distributed Training Center Network (DTCN).