Jane Edwards
Lockheed Martin will hand over to the U.S. Navy another training system for the Sikorsky-built CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter.
The CH-53K Containerized Flight Training Device will provide a virtual environment to enable U.S. Marine Corps aviators to train on external lift operations and other heavy lift missions, Lockheed said Wednesday.
“Marine pilots have smoothly transitioned from the training device to the actual CH-53K’s fly-by-wire cockpit and completed missions in the fleet environment – such as air-to-air refueling,” said Flash Kinloch, vice president of training and simulation and solutions at Lockheed.
“Training in this highly immersive virtual environment permits flight crews to train the full scope of tasks that can be performed on the aircraft in a safe, cost effective and realistic manner,” added Kinloch.
According to the company, CH-53K CFTD enabled flight crews to train on several mission scenarios during the initial operational test and evaluation phase, including operation in degraded visual environments and air-to-air refueling during day and night.
In April, the Marine Corps reached initial operational capability status for the CH-53K helicopter.
The delivery of the latest training device will be carried out under a new contract that includes options for three more CFTDs. Lockheed delivered the first CFTD to Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in April 2020.
