TAMPA, Fla., 23 February 2005. CAE USA has won a contract valued at more than $12.5 million to upgrade two P-3C flight simulators for the United States Navy.
Also, CAE USA will be developing an MH-60S tactical operational flight trainer (TOFT) and two MH-60S weapons tactics trainers (WTTs) for the Navy, valued at approximately $22 million, bringing the total value of new business recently awarded to CAE by the U.S. Navy to more than $34 million.
For the P-3C flight simulator contract, CAE will upgrade the motion, control loading, and visual systems on the simulators. In addition, CAE will enhance the aerodynamics software to provide improved flight handling performance, bringing the simulators to a certification level equivalent to the FAA's Level D. The enhanced aerodynamic software for the USN P-3C simulators is based on the simulation software CAE is currently developing for Canada's CP-140 flight deck simulator.
"In its effort to provide cost-wise readiness, the Navy needs to upgrade its P-3C Orion simulators and decrease actual flight time," said Capt. Larry Howard, Commanding Officer of PMA-205 at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) headquarters in Patuxent River, Maryland. "Simulation plays a role in ensuring forces attain progressive readiness goals to achieve surge status."
The first upgraded USN P-3C simulator will be ready for training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville in the fall of 2006. The next upgraded simulator will be ready for training at NAS Whidbey Island in late 2006.
This contract includes options to upgrade four more P-3C simulators, which CAE expects the Navy to exercise in 2006 and 2007. If all options are exercised, the contract will involve CAE's upgrading a total of six P-3C simulators for a total value of approximately $23 million.
For the MH-60 trainers, CAE announced in June 2004 that the Navy had awarded it a contract initially valued at $38 million to develop two MH-60S tactical operational flight trainers and two MH-60S weapons tactics trainers. The contract included options for more simulators of these types. Recently, the Navy exercised several of those contract options, for a value of $22 million. As a result, CAE USA will develop one additional MH-60S TOFT and two additional MH-60S WTTs. The Navy has awarded these contract options ahead of the planned schedule.
"CAE is an experienced provider of Level-D simulators and was able to offer the Navy a low-risk upgrade program that leverages work we've done on previous P-3 simulation programs, including the Canadian CP-140 simulator soon to be delivered," said John Lenyo, president and general manager, CAE USA. "We are focused on execution for both the MH-60S and P-3 programs and expect our performance to position us well for future U.S. Navy opportunities."
NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technology through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From professional training to carrier launch; from sensor data to precision targeting; from aircraft and weapons development to successful deployment; from real-time communication to aircraft recovery NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter.
CAE is a leading provider of simulation and modeling technologies as well as integrated training services for commercial and business aviation, and defense customers worldwide. The company has annual revenues of approximately C$1 billion, with operations and training facilities in 17 countries on five continents. For more information, see www.cae.com.
