Portuguese Air Force Buys New F-16 Sim from IFAD

The Portuguese Visa Court approved the purchase of a new F-16 tactical training centre for the Portuguese Air Force (PRTAF), which will be built by IFAD TS A/S (IFAD).

IFAD, together with subcontractor Arenalogic ApS (AL), will supply the DART (Deployable Affordable Readiness Trainer), a new combined F-16 and JTAC/GCI tactical training centre which will support the Portuguese defence in educating and training their F-16 pilots in tactical Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground operations, their Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) in Close Air Support (CAS) operations, and GCI personnel.

The DART has been jointly developed by IFAD and Arenalogic and has been in successful operation for several years at the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF).

The DART system is purchased as a Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) solution with additions based on specific Portuguese Air Force needs (the DART-PT version). The DART-PT delivery is foreseen in the fourth quarter of 2022 and will be followed by a Support & Development phase in 2023.

DART is a fully developed COTS F-16 tactical training system, with the possibility of national adaptations. DART is currently in operation at Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) in Denmark and is now available on the international market for current and future F-16 user nations.

When DART was delivered to the RDAF, Commander Col Holstener-Jørgensen of the Royal Danish Air Force, F-16 Fighter Wing Skrydstrup stated: ”DART makes it possible to use a simulator that is completely up-to-date on the software side and compatible to the F-16 aircraft that we use in the Danish Defence. The simulators allow us to train important tactics and procedures in a timesaving and inexpensive way.  With the new simulators, we can supplement the current training flights with scenarios and situations, which, during current live flights, would require disproportionate resources".