Thales upgrades French Navy's E-2C Hawkeye flight simulator

Thales has completed a full hardware and software upgrade of the visual system of the flight simulator for the E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft deployed by the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

The contract was awarded in 2018 by France's military aircraft maintenance service (Service Industriel de l’Aéronautique - SIAé).

The E-2C Hawkeye flight simulator now features the ThalesView high-performance image generator, a new projection system and an updated visual database, all integrated with the existing configuration.

With the new image generation system, the simulator will provide a more immersive experience for trainees. High-resolution imagery of the air and maritime environment will offer a more realistic representation of its surroundings to enhance operator safety during deployments.

Pilots can also train in the delicate manoeuvres involved in deck landings and catapult launches in daylight and at night.

Thales provides long-term support for the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and the French Navy on its simulation-based crew training programmes. They also benefit from the Group's investments in digital technologies (7 billion euros invested since 2014).