BAE Systems to Lead Industry Team for UK Military Aircraft Trainers

BAE Systems has agreed a set of exclusive agreements to lead a team comprising Gama Group Limited, Babcock Aerospace Limited and Pilatus Aircraft Limited to offer a training aircraft availability service solution for the UK armed forces. BAE Systems will lead, on behalf of its partners, the provision of a bid to Ascent Flight Training to be the Fixed Wing Aircraft Service Provider (ASP) for the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme. Under MFTS the UK MOD has a requirement to have a range of aircraft platforms and systems available to train aircrew across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. BAE Systems is well placed to deliver a low risk, innovative aircraft availability service to Ascent to underpin the provision of a first class training environment. The solution proposed by BAE Systems would build upon the success of the output based Hawk availability contracts and deliver fully supported elementary, basic and multi engine aircrew training platforms into the UK MFTS Fixed Wing programme for 25 years. Martin Rushton, BAE Systems’ Managing Director for the air sector training business said: “In selecting Gama, Babcock and Pilatus we believe we have secured the best available capabilities and platforms to meet this complex and important requirement. As a Company we already work in partnership with our UK and Global customers to deliver a comprehensive range of platform availability services for a range of air, land and sea products.’ ‘Working with our partners we are able to integrate modern and efficient training aircraft systems and commit to a through life maintenance and service solution through our readiness and sustainment capabilities. BAE Systems will deliver an integrated, safe and harmonised system to meet the requirements and capacity challenges of Ascent Flight Training and the UK MOD.”