iscover
BAE Systems Australia has offered some details on its Project AIR 5428 Pilot training System bid, tenders for which closed on March 31.
The company has teamed with CAE Australia and Beechcraft to offer a solution based around the Beech T-6C aircraft.
“We’ve drawn on decades of global military flight training experience to develop a solution focused solely on producing the very best military aviators at a location of the ADF’s choosing,” BAE Systems Australia general manager aviation solutions, John Quaife said in a statement. “Supported by the world’s most proven, cost-effective primary aviation training aircraft in the T-6C, our integrated pilot training system balances the latest training technology with basic competencies. It provides the flexibility to address learning shortfalls and will better prepare graduates for Lead-In Fighter training than ever before.”
“The T-6C has amassed more than two million flying hours, which means ADF training will not be compromised by emergent airworthiness issues,” Mr Quaife said, adding that the BAE-led team brought together a combined track record in military flight training, project management and mission systems sustainment. “We are a strong, complementary team that understands the Australian environment and training requirements of the ADF.”
The BAE-led teaming is up against the ‘Team 21’ bid from Lockheed Martin, Pilatus and Hawker Pacific which is offering the Pilatus PC-21 in a proposal based on the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s Basic Wings Course at RAAF Pearce.
Raymond
says:Are the T-6C and the PC-21 -based bids the only two for AIR 5428?
Interesting that both are developments of the PC-9, the in-service aircraft they are vying to replace.
I understand this is a system-type approach and the winner will be chosen on more than just the platform, but what are the essential / major differences between the two competing aircraft? Is one regarded as superior to the other, as a direct airframe comparison one-to-one without regard to cost?
australianaviation.com.au
says:As far as I am aware they are the only two bids – no other industry grouping declared their hand before or after the deadline.
AA flight-tested both aircraft a few years ago, so I would refer you to those to get an idea of the differences…don’t ask me what issues they were in sorry.
Cheers
Andrew
Allan
says:So, BAE is proposing to replace the PC-9 with the same aircraft with a different name and different manufacturer. The only difference between the PC -9 and T6 is one is made by Pilatus and the other by Beechcraft.
australianaviation.com.au
says:The whole avionics suite, i.e. the important part for training, is different. It’s really just the airframe and the heritage of the engine that remain – the T-6C is not your grandfather’s PC-9.
Cheers
Andrew
marcus
says:The PC-21 is an entirely new design with shorter wings and a more powerful engine. It’s not a development of the PC-9, unlike the T-6C, which is an (significantly) upgraded licence built version of the PC-9.
In comparison with the T-6C, the PC-21 is faster and more performant and requires a longer runway.
Here’s the link to the Pilatus website on the PC-21: http://www.pilatus-air craft.com/#39
Here’s the Beechcraft link with the performance data: http://www.beechcraft.com/military/assets/documents/T-6_Spec_Litho.pdf
Compared with the old PC-9 they are supposed to replace, both T-6C and PC-21 have a much more modern, open design cockpits, with the ability to simulate modern jet aircrafts.
Greetings, Marcus