CAE To Upgrade NATO Training Devices

CAE has signed a contract amendment with the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Program Management Agency (NAPMA) to perform avionics updates on the E-3A flight deck simulator and E-3A flight training device located at NATO Airbase Geilenkirchen in Germany.

The avionics updates to the training devices relate to the latest standards of the advanced Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) systems currently being implemented on NATO’s fleet of 14 E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The avionics updates to the E-3A flight deck simulator will be complete in 2021.

CAE designed and manufactured the original NATO E-3A flightdeck simulator that entered service in 1982. Since that time, the simulator hasbeen continuously upgraded and enhanced to ensure concurrency with the aircraftand enable E-3A aircrews to conduct more synthetic training.  The E-3A flight deck simulator is currentlyqualified to Level D, the highest for flight simulators. The CAE-built E-3Aflight training device is qualified to Level II and is used to supportfamiliarization and procedural training for aircrews prior to full-missiontraining in the E-3A flight deck simulator.

CAE is responsible for maintenance and support of the E-3Atraining devices in addition to providing instructors and mission systemoperators to support the delivery of training to NATO E-3A AWACS aircrews.