Cubic Defense Applications has received a new contract valued at more than $11 million to provide the P5 Tactical Combat Training System (P5TCTS) to the Royal Australian Air Force for use in training F/A-18F Super Hornet crews.
“This new system represents a step forward for the RAAF,” said Michael Rodriguez, Senior Program Manager, Air Ranges. “Australia currently operates a fourth generation Cubic air combat training system at RAAF Base Williamtown for training on its F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The RAAF decided to purchase the fifth generation P5TCTS for use on its newest F/A-18F aircraft operating at RAAF Base Amberley. This new system will allow for interoperability with the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft that the RAAF is planning to purchase in the near future. All F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for Australia will be delivered with an on-board, internal P5 airborne subsystem.”
P5TCTS for the Super Hornet will be delivered in late 2012 to RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. Amberley was previously home to the RAAF’s F-111 aircraft, which were recently retired from service and were replaced with two squadrons of F/A-18F Super Hornets. The RAAF’s new P5TCTS will be very similar to the current U.S. Navy TCTS system and will include airborne instrumentation pods built by principal subcontractor DRS, transportable ground systems with live monitor, and portable ground subsystems, which includes Cubic’s Individual Combat Aircrew Display System (ICADS) software for debriefing. For this effort Cubic, has also been contracted to provide software and hardware to ensure that the legacy Cubic-developed Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) system operating at Williamtown will be able to “merge data ” to allow for post mission debriefing between the Classic Hornet and Super Hornet aircrews.
Amberley squadrons will also receive live monitoring (LM) capability. The LM enables real-time monitor and uplink control of P5TCTS-podded aircraft via Cubic’s ground stations.
