6 February, 2019: The CAE-built Predator Mission Trainer (PMT), used for zero flight time training on the Predator B/MQ-9 variant and the simulator has been formally qualified for training at the Amendola Air Base in Italy by the Italian Ministry of Defence and Italian Air Force. It is the highest fidelity simulator ever developed and fielded for the Predator family of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) systems.
CAE, the prime contractor on the programme, partnered with GA-ASI and the Italian Air Force to conduct flight testing on an actual Italian Air Force Predator aircraft. The use of actual flight data specific to an individual aircraft is necessary when developing Level D simulators, the highest qualification for flight simulators is a first for the Predator family of RPAs.
“GA-ASI was pleased to collaborate with CAE to develop this advanced simulator for the Predator, and we expect this training capability will be highly desired by militaries acquiring our family of remotely piloted aircraft systems,” said David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI. “The Predator Mission Trainer will play a key role helping the Italian Air Force develop highly skilled and well-trained aircrews who are prepared and ready to operate the proven Predator RPA systems.”
CAE used an actual Block 15 Mobile Ground Control Station (MGCS) for the physical hardware which was provided by the Italian Air Force to ensure the highest level of fidelity and realism. The Predator Mission Trainer has a fully interactive synthetic and tactical environment for enhanced mission training, it is also fitted with CAE’s high-fidelity sensor simulation, and it uses Open Geospatial Consortium Common Database (OGC CDB) architecture for interoperable and networked training capabilities.
The Italian Air Force began training on the Predator A variant of the Predator Mission Trainer in 2018. The Italian Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Air Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA) formally qualified the PMT. CAE and GA-ASI executives and officials from Italian Air Force celebrated the milestone during a ceremony at the Amendola Air Base.
“The incredible realism of the Predator Mission Trainer gives us a critical training capability to efficiently produce the highly skilled Predator crews we need to conduct a range of operational missions,” said an Italian Air Staff Representative. “Having the world’s highest fidelity Predator Mission Trainer as part of our unmanned systems centre of excellence in Italy gives us unmatched training flexibility and the ability to leverage simulation-based virtual training throughout our curriculum.”