GA-ASI and CAE team up to develop and deliver Predator UAS Mission Trainer
NewsJune 16, 2015
PARIS, France. CAE announced at the Paris Air show that CAE and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) will work together to develop and deliver upgrades to a Predator Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Mission Trainer for the Italian air force.
Contracted by the Italian Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA), CAE and GA-ASI will develop a high fidelity UAS Mission Trainer that represents the Italian air force’s Predator A and Predator B/MQ-9. GA-ASI will manufacture, while CAE will conduct flight-tests gathering data on Predator A and Predator B/MQ-9 aircraft to ensure simulation of flight systems and sensor payloads is the highest fidelity.
“We need highly-skilled and well-trained Predator crews to fully leverage its capabilities, and our new high-fidelity training system will enable us to use a safe and cost-effective virtual training environment to better prepare our Predator aircrews for operational missions,” says an Italian air force official.
Expected delivery date to the Amendola air force base is in 2017 and With the UAS Mission Trainer, the Italian air force can conduct training for its Predator A and Predator B/MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators.
“For both manned and unmanned platforms, simulation-based training continues to demonstrate its proven capability as a safe and cost-effective solution for maintaining and enhancing mission readiness,” says Gene Colabatistto, Group President, Defence and Security, CAE.
“GA-ASI is pleased to work hand-in-hand with CAE to develop this capable new training tool. This simulator will help to reduce the training load on Italy’s Predator fleet significantly, freeing those aircraft for increased participation in civil and military operations worldwide,” says Frank Pace, President, GA-ASI.
