Lockheed Martin has announced that its suite of training devices for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter have been declared Ready for Training at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina. With the announcement, U.S. Marines will prepare to fly, maintain and sustain CH-53K.
“These training devices will prepare aircrew and maintainers for the full suite of capabilities of the CH-53K in a safe and cost-effective manner,” said Tom Gordon, vice president of Training and Simulation Solutions of Lockheed Martin. “Crews can rehearse for operational deployment, ensuring the U.S. Marines are ready to successfully complete their missions.”
The CH-53K will enable Marines to safely complete longer-range missions in harsher environments compared to the current fleet of aircraft. The Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD) is a portable full-mission flight simulator that will allow flight crews to train on the full scope of Marine Corps heavy lift missions.
The CFTD replicates the functionality, flight characteristics, mission profiles and unmatched capabilities of the CH-53K helicopter. The device can replicate various environmental conditions and mission profiles. The Helicopter Emulation Maintenance Trainer (HEMT) and Composite Maintenance Trainer (CMT) are both purpose-built for the King Stallion’s maintenance training.
The HEMT is a computer-based lab that familiarizes the mechanic with maintenance tasks they perform, including tools, functions and checks. The CMT is a full-scale mock-up of the aircraft and is the final step of familiarizing the maintainer with the aircraft.
The CMT enables students to interact with the physical controls of the aircraft to learn to remove and install hardware and perform functional checks.
“The training devices will ensure a flawless entry into service for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter,” said Bill Falk, Sikorsky CH-53K program director. “We are proud to build this 21st century helicopter giving mission flexibility to the U.S. Marine Corps.”
