Thales to Support Royal Australian Air Force Wedgetail Training

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Thales to Support Royal Australian Air Force Wedgetail Training
AUSTRALIA - 2 FEBRUARY 2010

Thales Australia has signed a five-year agreement with Boeing Defence Australia to provide through life maintenance and engineering support for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Operational Flight Trainer (OFT).

Developed by Thales in Australia and the UK, the Wedgetail OFT combines a range of state-of-the-art technologies to provide flight performance, air-to-air refuelling, flight deck and pilot tactical training capabilities.

Located at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the OFT is a key component of the RAAF's Wedgetail AEW&C pilot training program, which will commence in early 2010.

Managed by Boeing Defence Australia, the Thales-designed and built, motion-based OFT provides realistic and high-quality simulated flight crew operations, and will be the sole Wedgetail pilot training device for the RAAF.

Chris Jenkins, Managing Director of Thales Australia, said: "Thales is pleased to be involved in the Wedgetail program for the RAAF, and the contract with Boeing Defence Australia will ensure Thales's AEW&C support continues on from delivering the OFT in 2006 to securing simulator availability during critical RAAF pilot training periods. This contract strengthens Thales Australia's longstanding partnership and close working relationship with Boeing Defence Australia and the RAAF."

For John Duddy, Boeing Defence Australia Vice President and Managing Director, the RAAF Wedgetail AEW&C pilot training program will benefit from Thales's through-life support.

"As Thales is the original equipment manufacturer of the Wedgetail OFT, Boeing Defence Australia is confident Thales's in-depth simulator knowledge and maintenance experience will benefit the RAAF and its pilots, and further strengthen the close working relationship between Boeing and Thales," Duddy said.

Source: Thales Group


File Photo: The first two Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) of Royal Australian Air Force.
Australia has ordered a total of six of these (Project Wedgetail).

 

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Boeing Begins 737 AEW&C Maintenance Training for Royal Australian Air Force
3 MARCH 2010

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has launched the first maintenance training program conducted under the five-year In-Service Support (ISS) contract for Project Wedgetail, Australia's 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) program.

Training began on Feb. 15 with five Boeing Defence Australia instructors and 32 students from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) No. 2 Squadron. The 147-day program, held in the AEW&C Support Centre at RAAF Base Williamtown, is a combination of classroom- and computer-based lessons, Operational Flight Trainer (OFT) simulator sessions, and "real life" flight line training.

"Realistic, integrated training is essential to mission readiness, and our Wedgetail 737 AEW&C training programs are designed to mirror the way RAAF personnel are expected to perform maintenance activities in the field," said Grant Drew, an AEW&C maintenance instructor for Boeing Defence Australia.

The AEW&C Support Centre, established in 2004 under the Project Wedgetail System Acquisition Contract (SAC), houses the OFT, an Operational Mission Simulator and a Mission Support System to support Australia's six 737 AEW&C aircraft.

ISS training follows a series of basic maintenance training courses delivered under the Project Wedgetail SAC. Boeing delivered the first two Wedgetail aircraft to the RAAF on Nov. 26, allowing flight and mission crews to launch the first ISS maintenance training programs using the aircraft.

Four Boeing Defence Australia employees also entered the ISS maintenance training program on Feb. 15 in order to become maintenance instructors. In addition to completing the program, they also will learn teaching techniques, curriculum development and how to deliver training using the Wedgetail Maintenance Training System.

"My colleagues are operating at the forefront of defense training with Boeing's 737 AEW&C platform. I'm privileged to learn from them, carry on their exceptional work and teach future RAAF maintainers," said Peter Whitty, who will become a Wedgetail ISS avionics maintenance instructor for Boeing Defence Australia after completing the program.

When they graduate, the new Boeing Defence Australia instructors will take on the job of delivering RAAF Wedgetail 737 AEW&C maintenance training programs. The five current Boeing Defence Australia instructors will move on to train instructors and maintainers for Boeing AEW&C systems in production for Turkey and the Republic of Korea.

"Boeing Defence Australia is already a key training service provider and integrator for the Australian Defence Force," said John Duddy, vice president and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia and vice president and general manager of Global Services & Support – Australia. "Training Wedgetail AEW&C maintainers and maintenance instructors will not only strengthen our relationship with the RAAF, but also increase our in-country and international training footprint."

Based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 commercial airplane, the 737 AEW&C aircraft is designed to provide airborne battle-management capability with an advanced multirole electronically scanned radar and 10 state-of-the-art mission crew consoles that are able to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously. The mission crew can direct offensive and defensive forces while maintaining continuous surveillance of the operational area.


Source: The Boeing Company

 

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Big Boost for Australia’s Defence Surveillance Capability
AUSTRALIA - 5 MAY 2010

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, today accepted the first two Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft at RAAF Base Williamtown in Newcastle.

“The two surveillance aircraft will significantly increase Australia’s surveillance capabilities and, as outlined in the Rudd Government’s Defence White Paper, the Wedgetail will be critical in supporting our future ADF,” Mr Combet said.

“Wedgetail aircraft will provide the ADF with the capability to maintain surveillance over a surface area of 400,000 square kilometres at any one time – that is an area 5 times as big as Tasmania.

“Over a 10 hour mission the Wedgetail’s sophisticated mission systems and advanced radar will be able to cover four million square kilometres in surveillance, with its primary task being to detect air threats and coordinate our air defence.

“The Wedgetail project has suffered problems, especially in regards to schedule, and has been on the Government’s ‘projects of concern’ list.”

“This project was experiencing a variety of problems when the Government was elected but we have put a lot of work into getting it back on track,” Mr Combet said.

“Over a decade since the project first started it is finally now ready to be used for Air Force training. I congratulate all parties, including the Department, Air Force and the Wedgetail’s manufacturer Boeing who have got us to this point.

“This is good news, although there are still a number of hurdles to overcome. Defence will continue to work alongside Boeing to support the ramp up of training and the final delivery of all six completed aircraft.

“The Royal Australian Air Force will now commence formal training and building operational capability over the next 12 months.

“It is expected the new aircraft will aid the ADF in providing support for our naval fleet, assist in search and rescue and border protection.”

Mr Combet said the Wedgetail project has also benefited local industry and local jobs.

“The Wedgetail project will not only boost the nation’s defence capabilities but it has benefited local industry and will support 200 local jobs in the sustainment phase of the project.”

Source: Australian Department of Defence