NAVAIR unveils P-8A Poseidon cockpit and weapons simulators
NewsFebruary 03, 2012
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. Navy leaders have introduced brand new cockpit simulators for P-8A Poseidon pilots to train on the state-of-the art avionics and weapons computers they will fly with when the new aircraft is deployed to the fleet later this year.
The Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) community installed the newest simulators at the P-8A Integrated Training Center, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
The first operational flight trainer (OFT) and weapons tactics trainer (WTT), were developed by Boeing in St. Louis, the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando Fla., and the Naval Aviation Training Systems program office (PMA-205), according to a NAVAIR release.
The OFT is a full-motion version of the aircraft cockpit, which replicates the same visual out-of-window display and cockpit sounds. The simulator replicates the systems, features, and equipment, as well as performance characteristics, for pilot proficiency and mission-readiness.
Combined with the WTT, the two simulators form a weapons systems trainer useful for full aircrew mission training and readiness events. As a stand-alone system, the WTT is utilized for weapons and sensor employment, as well as communications training.
Hardware for the simulators was installed in November and software in December. Once software installation was complete, Boeing and government engineers began final work on components of the visual system and also conducted acceptance test procedures to make sure the simulators synced with aircraft capabilities.
The P-8A Poseidon is the latest Naval aircraft designed for long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASW), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It replaces the venerable P-3C Orion, which has been operating for more than 50 years. Fleet transition from the Orion to the Poseidon begins this year.
