CAE to Lead Team AUStringer in Pursuit of RAAF Aviation Mission Training System

CAE Australia Pty Ltd has signed a teaming agreement with Cobham Aviation Services to establish Team AUStringer, which will respond to the Project AIR 5428 Phase 3 Aviation Mission Training System solicitation for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The newly formed Team AUStringer will combine training, leading-edge training technology and operational expertise to present a proposal to the Commonwealth for a sovereign, transformative and enduring mission training system.

The Aviation Mission Training System (AMTS) will be utilised to train the RAAF’s mission aviators, including electronic warfare officers, maritime patrol and response officers, air battle managers, air traffic controllers and other mission specialists. The AMTS, to be deployed at the Air Academy located at RAAF Base East Sale in Victoria, will feature a comprehensive training solution, including ground-based and airborne training and a digitally-enabled integrated learning environment.

The training solution will provide the knowledge, skills, ground-based training and live airborne training necessary to develop proficiency to operate in a fifth-generation mission environment. Graduates will proceed to operational conversion training at RAAF frontline units for assignments on a variety of aircraft types including the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, F/A-18 Super Hornet multi-role fighter, E/A-18 Growler electronic warfare aircraft, E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft and others.  The AMTS will also deliver all the instruction necessary for air traffic controllers and operations officers to develop the fundamental aviation knowledge required to support RAAF missions.

The moniker “Team AUStringer” draws its name from Austringer, a word of French origin related to falconry and training birds of prey to hunt.  Since the Aviation Mission Training System will be responsible for training RAAF mission aviators on tasks such as command and control, submarine hunting, and electronic warfare, the companies believe the name “Team AUStringer” offered an appropriate connection.

As the prime contractor leading Team AUStringer, CAE will leverage its global experience training military aircrews. For example, CAE currently supports the initial training of United States Navy naval flight officers (NFOs) who graduate from training at Naval Air Station Pensacola and proceed to some of the same operational aircraft in service with the RAAF, including the P-8A Poseidon, F/A-18 Super Hornet and E/A-18 Growler. The U.S. Navy makes extensive use of the CAE-built Multi-Crew Simulator for training mission aviators and CAE also delivers academic and simulator instruction.