18 Apr 24. Hadean, 4C Strategies integrate products to reduce training burden. Hadean and 4C Strategies have successfully integrated a constructive simulation with Exonaut exercise management software, utilising Hadean’s spatial computing platform.
The integrated solution, displayed at the International Training Technology Exhibition & Conference (IT²EC) 2024 in London, enabled Hadean’s Pattern of Life Indicator (POLI) constructive simulation to be controlled from within 4C Strategies Exonaut software.
Exonaut is widely used in the UK and NATO as an exercise management tool, while constructive simulation is fundamental to effective command and staff training. Integrating the two previously separate functions offers the potential to improve training. (Source: Janes)
22 Apr 24. Leonardo assures timely delivery of M-346 fighter jets to Nigeria. Leonardo, vice president, confirms commitment to Nigerian Air Force amidst joint partnership efforts.
Nigerian Air Force headquarters, Leonardo Africa sales vice-president Claudio Sabatino reiterates the company’s dedication to delivering the M-346 fighter aircraft, marking a stride in Nigeria’s military modernisation agenda.
During a visit to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) headquarters, Sabatino emphasised the Italian aerospace business’s commitment to ensuring the timely delivery of the M-346 fighter aircraft to Nigeria. Amid discussions with the chief of air staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, Sabatino emphasised the importance of the collaboration between Leonardo and the NAF in advancing Nigeria’s military capabilities.
According to GlobalData’s Nigeria Defense Market 2023-2028 report, the Nigerian Air Force previously acquired twelve MB-339A training and light attack aircraft from Leonardo.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception and acknowledging the role of the NAF in fostering a conducive environment for collaboration, Mr Sabatino highlighted the progress made in the aircraft fleet’s manufacturing process, assuring Air Marshal Abubakar of Leonardo’s dedication.
Of particular note was Leonardo’s assurance of long-term maintenance support, a commitment lauded by Air Marshal Abubakar for its role in ensuring sustained operational readiness. Recognising the significance of this partnership, Air Marshal Abubakar proposed the establishment of a dedicated Program Management Office to oversee all aspects of the collaboration.
In other Nigerian military modernisation endeavours, Bell Textron secured a $455m deal with the Nigerian Government. This contract entailed the delivery of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters to bolster the country’s firepower and enhance counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities.
The acquisition of the M-346 fighter aircraft represents another milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to modernise its military fleet and enhance operational effectiveness. With the first batch of six aircraft slated for delivery before the end of 2024, the partnership between Leonardo and the NAF commences a new journey of enhanced capabilities and operational versatility for Nigeria’s air defence.
Leonardo’s M-346 aircraft is used globally. In 2023, Leonardo teamed up with WZL1 to provide long-term support for the Polish M-346 Bielik fleet, enhancing fleet availability and fulfilling the Polish Air Force’s combat pilot training requirements. Within the same year, the first two M-346 training aircraft landed in Greece, equipped with integrated virtual avionics to elevate pilot training.
As both parties look forward to future meetings to delve into detailed arrangements on logistics, maintenance protocols, and configuration requirements, the stage is set for a fruitful collaboration that hopes to bolster Nigeria’s defence capabilities and contribute to regional stability.
The Italian aerospace and defence player exceeded expectations in 2023, reporting a 3.8% increase in orders totalling €17.9bn and a 3.9% rise in revenues to €15.3bn, driven by a 34% aerostructure recovery. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
23 Apr 24. US Navy accepts first two Textron T-54 deliveries. US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) accepted delivery of the first two Textron T-54 Multi-Engine Training System (METS) aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas, the service announced on 22 April. The aircraft are set to begin training students at NAS Corpus Christi’s Training Air Wing Four in boreal spring 2025, the US Navy (USN) told Janes. The USN intends to operate 64 of the Textron King Air 200-based aircraft, which will replace the Textron T-44 as the service’s main twin-engine pilot training aircraft. Deliveries are set to run through 2026, and the aircraft is meant to operate until 2055.
“This aircraft brings modernised training to student naval aviators and prepares them for the advanced aircraft they will fly in the fleet,” said Captain Duane Whitmer, USN programme manager. (Source: Janes)
12 Apr 24. Cole joins Leonardo-led team pitching British Army training. The new teaming agreement will support ‘Team Aurelian’ in their efforts to pitch a simulated training environment to the British Army.
AUS-based training solutions provider Cole Engineering Services Inc (CESI) has joined ‘Team Aurelian’ – now a trilateral industrial partnership including Leonardo UK and Valiant – formed to pitch a solution for the British Army’s Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP).
CESI brings a lot to table: the company is the lead developer and provider of the US Army’s Synthetic Training Environment (STE) software and its immersive Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer. STE bring together live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training environments into a single, blended-training platform to deliver distributed, collective training.
Together, the Team Aurelian partners will be able to update the UK’s systems to ensure that the British Army training remains world-class in the digital age.
In addition to the specific teaming agreement targeting CTTP, Leonardo and CESI’s parent company By Light signed a wider memorandum of understanding that will see the two companies work together to seek out synergies in, and opportunities for, their respective synthetic environment capabilities and other complementary capabilities.
John Wells, Leonardo UK’s campaign director for for the CTTP, stated: “Team Aurelian [has] the skills, proven technology and experience to deliver this long-term, large-scale, highly-complex programme.
“CESI has been competitively sleecte dby the US Army on multiple occasions to provide synthetic training technologies and we will be proud to work with them to transform the training capabilities of our Armed Forces in the UK.”
Stu Armstrong, the CTO of CESI said: “Our partnership with… Team Aurelian extends our working relationships even further to provide best breed technical expertise and untouched technology solutions. We are produce to bring our deep capabilities in delivering innovative and modern synthetic training environments, at scale, to deliver training that allows soldiers to truly succeed.”
So far within the realm of the British Army’s extensive training ambitions, it has made some headway through the innovation provided by deep tech start-ups such as the British company, Hadean. Last year, the company provided a cloud based system to overcome the problem of the servrice’s longstanding training siloes.
Likewise, the service have just announced its new Land Training System (LTS), which is a vision designed to cultivate the sub-unit level with a wide range of skills and competencies in a combined arms environment. Ultimately, the new LTS will ensure that required skills and competencies get to where they need to be at the pace of relevance. (Source: army-technology.com)