CAE demonstrates simulation interoperability and networking for Royal Australian Air Force C-130J aircrews

ADELAIDE, Australia, 26 Aug. 2014. CAE has demonstrated the networking and interoperability of C-130J training systems at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Richmond. CAE engineers linked the CAE-built C-130J full-flight and mission simulator (FFMS) with a C-130J tactical airlift crew trainer (TACT) developed by Bluedrop and Virtual Simulation Systems (VSS) to demonstrate a single virtual aircraft operating in a common synthetic environment.

The networked training devices demonstrated how the entire mission crew, including C-130J pilots and loadmasters, could train together in an integrated virtual environment.

"We recognize that our defence customers need to be able to conduct more of their training in a cost-effective virtual environment, so this demonstration was a perfect opportunity to show how our training systems integration capabilities can help the Royal Australian Air Force enhance its ability to conduct integrated mission training and rehearsal," describes Peter Redman, Vice President and General Manager, CAE Australia. "There are technical challenges associated with interoperability when trying to network training devices with different architectures from various manufacturers; however, these challenges can be overcome and the end result can be improved mission training prior to operational deployments."

CAE has a broad training services network, offering civil aviation, military, and helicopter training services in 67 locations worldwide and training more than 120,000 civil and military crewmembers annually.

The Royal Australian Air Force operates the Hercules C-130J transport aircraft. They are operated by No 37 Squadron, based at RAAF Base Richmond, near Sydney.

The Hercules is a key part of the Air Force fleet, providing medium to long range transport with an excellent short dirt runway capability, allowing it to perform:

• tactical or strategic transport duties
• troop transport
• special forces insertion
• parachuting (both static-line and free-fall)
• airdrop of stores and equipment, including four-wheel drives, inflatable boats and artillery pieces
• search and survivor assistance, including airdrop of Air-Sea Rescue Kits (life rafts, radios, water, emergency rations)
• disaster relief, delivering necessities domestically (eg, Katherine floods, 1998) and internationally (eg, Pakistan earthquakes, 2005)
• medical evacuations, whether as a result of military action (eg, Timor, 1999), terrorist bombings (eg, Bali, 2002 and 2005) or natural disasters (eg, Boxing Day 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami).

The C-130J Hercules, introduced in 1999, has:

• 2 tone grey paint scheme
• six-blade propellers
• three crew – two pilots and a loadmaster
• a larger, stretched cargo area, capable of fitting two more cargo pallets than a C-130H
• updated avionics and 'glass cockpit' flightdeck featuring
• fighter-style controls on the control columns
• two head-up displays (HUDs)
• four large multi-function displays
• five monochrome displays
• head-down display
• traffic and ground collision avoidance systems
• stick pusher to prevent inadvertent aircraft stall
• compatibility with night-vision goggles and electronic counter-measures (not routinely fitted).