WLT: Weapon Load Trainer

Descriptions

Requirement
The Typhoon Training Facility (TTF) at RAF Coningsby and the Weapon Load Training Cells (WLTCs) at both Main Operating Bases (MOB) are responsible for delivering weapons training and re-certification to Typhoon Weapons technicians.

TTF delivers the Pre-Employment Training Weapons course which includes on-aircraft practical covering the Armament Control and Installation System (ACIS) and Armament Control System (ACS) testing. Both WLTCs are responsible for all weapon load training and re-certification, which currently is carried out on Forward Available Fleet (FAF) aircraft.

This proposal sets out the need for procuring a Weapon Load Trainer (WLT) for both MOBs which is capable of meeting the ACIS training requirement of TTF and the wider training requirements of the WLTCs.

The driver for change is the increasing pressure on the forward environment to provide training resources and the increasing pressure on Typhoon Force (TF) training facilities, assets and resources, which Force Growth and the export training demand is driving. The procurement of a WLT will reduce the impact of training on the operational environment and on the FAF. It will also ensure a consistent training output standard aligned to the aircraft fit at both MOB.

The acquisition of high fidelity WLT Ground Training Aids (GTA) will facilitate all initial and re-certification weapon load training. This requirement is seeking the procurement of one, possibly two, Weapon Load Trainers with a view to minimising the impact on the operational environment and the FAF, whilst providing a consistent TTF & WLTC output standard aligned to the aircraft fit. The driver for change is the increasing pressure on training facilities, assets and resources, and to minimise the training impact on the FAF.

Background
A Weapon Load Trainer (WLT) was part of the original Eurofighter training solution. The RAF WLT was cancelled by the RAF/Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) around 2002 to release funding for improved pilot training courseware. An attempt to resurrect the WLT was made by the RAF staffed UK Joint Training Team in 2004, but the attempt failed.

Using a ‘live’ aircraft is not without its issues; it is necessary to remove and refit some pylons twice on each course. The aircraft structure and pylons are not designed to meet this continued removal/refit utilisation rate; therefore, an increased component wear and failure rate could be expected which would place an additional demand on the supply chain and aircraft serviceability.

The current training solution necessitates the transferral of training from a controlled environment in TTF, which is conducive to learning, to an operational workplace environment, which has many distractions and is less beneficial to initial learning.

Using maintenance opportunities to train is fraught with risk and subjects the students and instructors to added pressure and danger; “one off” activities do not provide sufficient opportunity for practice to mastery or formative and summative assessment as necessary to meet the RPS hence, exercises have to be repeated in an inefficient and ad-hoc manner.

Considerable time is required to prepare a FAF aircraft for the training role and then to recover it, which in itself can add to the maintenance burden and or repairs. Furthermore and on a regular basis, these FAF aircraft can be subject to official robs that can jeopardise training if it is the subject matter that is required and removed.