L-3 Link Simulation & Training Awarded Contract to Upgrade CF-18 Simulators
L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) announced on September 6 that it has been awarded a foreign military sale contract from the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command’s Training Systems Division to upgrade Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 flight simulators located at Cold Lake, Bagotville and Ottawa.
“This upgrade effort will enable Canada to rapidly gain training system concurrency with its CF-18 aircraft while increasing simulation fidelity at the lowest risk and cost,” said Leonard Genna, president of L-3 Link. “By sharing a common F/A-18 training solution with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, our allied forces will be able to leverage future solutions and improvements that seamlessly benefit force readiness in both countries.”
Existing CF-18 Air Combat Emulators (ACEs), CF-18 Part Task Trainers, instructor/operator stations and brief/debrief systems – initially built and delivered by L-3 Link – will be upgraded with the latest F/A-18 training system capabilities. Upgrade efforts to the CAF’s six full-fidelity ACEs and 10 part task trainers will incorporate the same proven level of fidelity integrated today on L-3 Link-built U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Tactical Operational Flight Trainers. In addition, the CF-18 training systems will be integrated with Canadian-unique aircraft capabilities. Other key upgrades to the trainers will include a new photo-texture visual system database and Mission Operation Center capability to conduct multi-ship training.
Each CF-18 ACE, which can support a full range of training scenarios, is integrated with L-3 Link’s 360-degree SimuSphere® visual display and SimuView® image generator. The Link-developed mission management system consists of instructor/operator systems, brief/debrief systems and mission operations systems that allow for real-time and pre/post mission briefings to aircrews.
