Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has been awarded a contract for three aviation trainers: one Kratos UH-60M Black Hawk Avionics Trainer (BHAT) and two Kratos UH-60M Maintenance Blended Reconfigurable Aviation Trainers (MBRAT).

The UH-60M MBRAT is a full-task trainer of all avionics systems that invokes a virtual immersive environment and spatial physical awareness. The UH-60M BHAT is a High-Fidelity Hands On Training System (HOTS) that provides full task training through simulation of all avionics systems in a fully integrated configuration within a complete immersive physical environment.

The contract, valued at over $16.9 million, is a Foreign Military Sales award issued by the United States Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation Utility Project Office. The end customer is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Rotary Wing Aircraft Maintenance School (RAMS) located at the Army Aviation Centre, Swartz Barracks, Oakey, Queensland Australia.

The three UH-60M avionics trainers will become part of the ADF’s new UH-60M maintenance training capability and complement the existing Kratos CH-47F avionics trainer at RAMS.

As Jose Diaz, Sr. Vice President, Kratos Training Solutions, stated: “The ADF’s future Blackhawk avionics maintenance technicians will train on a suite of cutting-edge devices that combine the Blackhawk airframe with simulated avionics systems for a combined hands-on and virtually immersive training experience.”

The devices can enhance operational readiness and enable cost effectiveness by allowing students to grasp concepts and practice skills more quickly, reducing the overall time spent on training and away from operating units.