Lockheed Martin submits proposal for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46 Aircrew Training System

When their fellow service men and women are in a pinch, aircrews operating the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of KC-46 tankers will have their back. In addition to providing air-to-air refueling, KC-46 aircrews will provide cargo airlift and transport patients urgently needing medical care.

Lockheed Martin has developed a solution that delivers an immersive training experience to guarantee KC-46 operators are mission ready. On May 31, Lockheed Martin submitted its proposal for the KC-46 Aircrew Training System to support the Air Force’s strategy for global mobility.

As an integrated system, the program includes academic materials, classroom instruction, several types of aircrew training devices with interactive courseware, trainer instruction and a training system support center.

“Lockheed Martin’s solution for the KC-46 Aircrew Training System minimizes cost and training time while providing each airman with a customized learning environment,” said Jim Weitzel, vice president of training solutions at Lockheed Martin’s Global Training and Logistics business. “The design builds on our proven methodologies that prepare 35,000 airmen on 36 aircraft variants each year.”

To accelerate training time and reduce costs, Lockheed Martin assembled an industry team of large and small businesses that bring fielded, affordable technologies to the program. Lockheed Martin and Thales Group provide Level D-certified simulators that use off-the-shelf components. Small business ACME Worldwide, Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M., will provide the boom operator trainers for remote air refueling.

Aircrews will refuel fixed-wing receiver-capable aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and coalition forces. The KC-46 Aircrew Training System will provide familiarization, initial qualification, continuation, upgrade, remedial and requalification training. The first aircrews are expected to begin training in 2016.