L-3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training division to build tactical readiness trainers for Royal Australian Air Force

NEW YORK, 14 March 2007.L-3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training (L-3 Link) division has received a contract from Raytheon Australia to build three F/A-18 tactical readiness trainers for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The F/A-18 tactical readiness trainers offer simulated controls, avionics, and weapons, as well as a flat-panel display to view out-the-window visual scenes.

"The tactical readiness trainers will provide a low-cost, complementary training capability to the F/A-18 Hornet Aircrew Training System's tactical operational flight trainers," says Mike Wallace, vice president of Air Force and Navy Programs at L-3 Link Simulation and Training. "These systems will offload some of the procedural training now being conducted on F/A-18 Tactical Operational Flight Trainers, enabling the devices to support more complex warfighting scenarios. The tactical readiness trainers have the potential to be integrated with the tactical operational flight trainers in support of larger scale simulation exercises."

The three tactical readiness trainers will be delivered to the RAAF's two Hornet Aircrew Training System installations in late 2008.