News Review: Northrop Grumman delivers first F-35 training courseware | ADM Aug 2010

The opening this northern summer of the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB is a step closer with Northrop Grumman’s delivery, on schedule and on budget, of the first set of courseware needed to train pilots and aircraft maintainers.

This includes all of the presentation materials that classroom instructors will use to teach pilots how to fly the F-35, and maintainers how to repair and support the aircraft.

The courseware also includes students’ self-study materials and pilot briefing materials used to support F-35 simulator and flight training events.

Northrop Grumman delivered the first block of courseware for maintainers in March, followed by the first block of courseware for pilots in April.

Both deliveries went to Lockheed Martin’s Simulation, Training and Support organisation at Eglin AFB.

“Training systems courseware provides the fundamental framework for teaching pilots and aircraft maintainers how to prepare for the F-35 mission or maintenance scenarios they’re most likely to encounter,” Mark Tucker, vice president of tactical systems and F-35 program manager for Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector, said.

“The goal is for every pilot and every maintainer to reach the same level of knowledge about the jet, regardless of where they started.”

Northrop Grumman is responsible for developing the courseware for pilots and maintainers for all three F-35 variants, plus any specialised courseware requested by F-35 partner countries, he added.

The current deliveries of courseware support the Block 0.5 software installed in the two F-35s produced during the first phase of low rate initial production (LRIP1). Subsequent deliveries of courseware will support the more advanced software currently being installed in LRIP2 and LRIP3 jets.