Lockheed Martin UK Bids For Polish Air Force Aircrew Training Requirement

PARIS, June 17, 2013: London-based Lockheed Martin UK is bidding to create a new state-of-the-art Polish Air Force pilot and aircrew training centre in Deblin, Poland.

The company has submitted a fully compliant response to a Polish Ministry of Defence tender for a new Integrated Aircrew Training Systems (IATS). The aim is to boost Poland’s military aviation safety by introducing a next-generation training programme which will produce pilots for the future.

Under Lockheed Martin’s proposal, Polish Air Force pilots will graduate through a completely new training programme. It would be an affordable, modern, technology-based system, producing highly capable, agile and adaptable aircrew to protect Poland’s national sovereignty and NATO interests.

Ascent Flight Training, a Lockheed Martin joint venture company with Babcock International, has already introduced a similar new-generation integrated training system at RAF Valley in Wales. Operated on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, it produces all of the UK’s fast jet aircrew and is known for being among the world’s best.

WZL 2 Bydgoszcz has become the first Polish partner for Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Aircrew Training System bid. It will be responsible for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the high-performance T-50 advanced jet trainers which will be a cornerstone of the new flying training programme.

The company already undertakes MRO work for Poland’s Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter fleet.

"The T-50 is the ideal training partner for Poland’s modern F-16 fleet and fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 Lightning II. It has the ability to shape the future direction of Poland’s aircrew training system for the next 20 to 30 years,” states Al Potter, Director UK & Europe for Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Training business.

“Support equipment required for the T-50 is similar to that already used for Polish Air Force F-16s and this reduces costs. In addition, the aircraft’s digital systems can easily be upgraded and adapted to suit emerging training needs over its service life, generating further long-term cost savings. Older-generation platforms which are already nearing the end of their development potential simply cannot provide this.”

Selection of Lockheed Martin UK’s bid will provide Poland with a fifth generation training system for fifth generation aircrew. The new training centre in Deblin will optimise flight hours and budget by blending computer based training, classroom instruction, simulation and time in the air flying the T-50.

Unlike other available platforms, the T-50’s high performance allows students to experience the intensity of G-forces, speed of decision making and levels of information management required by operational aircrew today.

Its capabilities are such that it can eliminate the fighter pilot bridge course, or operational conversion unit, allowing future top gun pilots to progress directly from training aircraft to frontline operational duties, even if on single seat aircraft.

A T-50 equipped training centre in Deblin, operating a fully integrated aircrew training syllabus, would be an attractive proposition for neighbouring countries with low student pilot throughput who do not wish to incur the expense of owning and operating their own trainer fleet.

Lockheed Martin already trains nearly 50,000 students per year around the world, providing highly experienced and effective instructors on the ground and in the air. The company designs the very best in courseware and computer-based classroom training as well as live training, to defence and civil customers worldwide