FARNBOROUGH, England, 16 July 2014. L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) won a contract from the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation to build three UH-60L Operational Flight Trainers (OFTs) and associated training systems for the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command.
The first UH-60L OFT will be delivered to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command training facility and will be fully operational during the second quarter of 2016. The second and third UH-60L OFTs will begin training pilots during the third quarter of 2016.
When the high-fidelity trainers are delivered, it will mark the first time L-3 Link’s RealitySeven full flight simulator will be used in support of a military training program, officials reveal.
“These rotary-wing simulation systems will provide the Royal Saudi Land Forces with the highest-fidelity UH-60L Operational Flight Trainers in the world,” says Lenny Genna, president of L-3 Link.
Under a teaming agreement, Advanced Electronics Company (AEC) in Riyadh will provide L-3 Link with systems integration, device assembly and installation, and repair and maintenance services. AEC will support L-3 Link on the first UH-60L OFT and lead the assembly and integration on the second and third simulators.
A Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter cockpit digitization project, being performed by Northrop Grumman, was announced earlier this year.
“AEC is very excited to work with L-3 in delivering these high-fidelity UH-60L Operational Flight Trainers to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command,” explains Dr. Ghassan Al-Shibl, president and chief executive officer of AEC. “The partnership with L-3 is in line with the Saudi government’s direction in building local capability and creating jobs for Saudis.”
L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) is a provider of intelligent, total training solutions for operators and maintainers across a wide range of military, civil, and commercial platforms. The company has delivered military, civil and commercial training systems to customer locations throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. L-3 Link is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, with key bases of operation in Binghamton, N.Y.; Orlando, Fla.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Broken Arrow, Okla.; and Crawley, U.K.
