Progressive Investment Sets New Standard in Training, Test and Evaluation

QinetiQ's latest multi-million pound investment in three new helicopters will further extend the fleet available to ETPS and trials customers and give talented pilots, engineers and aircrew access to the most advanced and systems-rich helicopters of any test pilot school.

Due to achieve initial operating capability by the summer of 2021, the new aircraft comprise two Agusta A109S Grand helicopters and a Leonardo AW139 helicopter fitted with an integrated Electro-Optical and Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera turret and a modern, complex avionics suite. Every airframe in the QinetiQ fleet based at MOD Boscombe Down will also benefit from additional enhancements including comprehensive Flight Test Instrumentation suites.

The latest expansion to the QinetiQ fleet takes the investment in new training, test and evaluation capabilities to well over £100million over the past three years and, significantly, will provide unprecedented operational capacity and service capabilities for QinetiQ’s customers training at ETPS or in delivery of test and evaluation projects.

“Staying ahead of the curve is absolutely vital in the challenging world of Test and Evaluation – both here in the UK and on the international stage,” said Simon Tate OBE, QinetiQ’s Director of Operations Air and Space. “This substantial new investment will ensure we do just that. And it will provide all ETPS customers and students with the additional assurance that comes from using the very best learning resources available. We are now also in a position to provide a complete Test and Evaluation solution for customers by providing aircraft, design, production, installation, test and evaluation training as well as ongoing flight operations for any Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission. That all amounts to a very significant service and capability advantage for mission-led innovation and operational agility.”

As the world’s first test pilot school, ETPS has trained over 1500 students from no less than 32 different countries over the past 75 years. Building on its heritage as the premier school for military flight test professionals, it is now also providing dedicated and fully accredited courses for civilian customers.