The $55 Million Project Will Include Instruction And Maintenance Services

Elbit Systems Ltd. said Wednesday that it has been awarded a contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defence for the establishment of a mission training center for the Israeli Air Force's (IAF) pilots of F-16C/D and F-16I fighter aircraft.

The center will be operated through a PFI (Private Financing Initiative) concept, and will include, among others, a development phase as well as instruction and maintenance services for a duration of 15 years. The project is valued at approximately $55 million, subject to necessary approvals during the project.

The new mission training center marks a significant breakthrough in the operational training sector. The system enables training in various mission scenarios in varying war zones and in the relevant threat environment of each war zone, a new training capability which has not yet been available to the IAF.

The core of the training center is the "Mission Training" system, a unique system that enables coordinated training between the various trainees, both within the IAF and at an interoperable level. The IAF teams will be able to train in formations of pairs, foursomes and octads, with full supervision of flight inspectors, who will take a central part in the training sessions. The system will enable integration with other training systems operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), such as trainers for helicopter pilots, UAV operators and ground forces. In addition, the new system will enable coordinated training in mission scenarios, notwithstanding the geographical distance between the different trainers.

FMI: www.iaf.org.il