Following the successful completion of the development phase, Link will receive a contract in the latter part of 2006 that will call for the build and delivery of four networked F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs).
"Link is very pleased to be selected for this competitive award and looks forward over the coming months to working with the Swiss procurement authorities and the Swiss Air Force in the development phase of this training system," said John McNellis, president of Link Simulation and Training.
"The Swiss F/A-18 Flight Simulator Upgrade program solution will take advantage of Link's work currently underway to develop and deliver networked F/A-18 training solutions to the U.S. Navy, Canadian Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force, for the first time providing near global commonality across the F/A-18 simulation community."
This state-of-the-art simulation system will enable Swiss F/A-18 pilots to perform a full spectrum of combat training while operating as a tactical team.
The networked F/A-18C TOFTs will be integrated with Link's latest visual system innovations, including the SimuView personal computer image generation system and SimuSphere 360(degree) field-of-view visual display.
A Mission Operations Center will enable instructor personnel to oversee and manage all aspects of the training mission. From the Mission Operations Center's personal computer-based instructor operator station, training missions will be initialized, controlled and monitored.
At the instructor operator station the operator is able to maneuver any simulated threat or friendly aircraft.
A brief/debrief room will enable F/A-18 aircrews to prepare for their simulated mission by using real world mission planning systems. Following execution of their simulated mission, Swiss F/A-18 pilots will have the opportunity to review mission event data captured by the debriefing system.
As currently planned for the second phase of the program, four F/A-18C TOFTs will be delivered to Payerne Air Force Base in Switzerland during late 2008.
Link Simulation and Training, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, is a systems integration organization that delivers and supports training systems and equipment designed to enhance operational proficiency.
Link's services include conducting front end analysis, program design, simulator design and production, and field support. Link has its headquarters operation in Arlington, TX and other key bases of operation in Binghamton, NY, Orlando, FL, Broken Arrow, OK, and Phoenix, AZ.