AERALIS Ltd, the British firm developing the UK’s first home-grown fast jet training aircraft since the Hawk, signs an MoU with THALES to develop concepts for a ground-based training and simulation system aimed at complementing the UK’s Tempest future fighter programme, bolster the UK aerospace & defence sector and strengthen prospects for UK defence exports.
AERALIS and THALES will evaluate concepts for a common simulator system that can be used to support all phases in a future flying training system and which could be demonstrated in time for Farnborough 2022. The collaboration will also feature AERALIS and THALES working together on developing the architecture for a future common Information System that will bring together data on student performance, aircraft utilisation and use of courseware to help operators configure and optimise their use of AERALIS to deliver individual training needs in the most cost-effective way.
Deploying the combined expertise of 80,000 employees across operations in 68 countries, THALES brings design & build expertise in training system design, simulator development and delivery of ground-based training services that will complement AERALIS’s existing collaborations with aircraft service providers.
For AERALIS, the collaboration offers the opportunity to advance the production of its suite of jet trainers which will be fully customisable in terms of engines, outer wings and avionics. Adopting a unique modular concept built around a common, robust, long-life fuselage core, end-users will be able to configure their fleet of training aircraft to match the precise needs of their trainee pilots at any point in time – from Basic through to Lead-In fighter training.
Tim Davies, AERALIS Strategy Director, commented: “Partnering with a global leader such as THALES brings us a huge advantage in developing the ultimate fighter pilot training system. THALES’s ability to bring a next-generation simulator to complement AERALIS’s world-beating modular aircraft design will mean the UK will take the lead both capability & affordability of future military flying training.”
Daz Rawlins OBE, Thales’s Managing Director of Training and Simulation in the UK, added: “THALES is committed to being at the forefront of developing innovative training systems to support next generation military flying training. AERALIS brings a unique approach to developing an adaptable, connected and affordable aircraft system for which THALES has the ability to develop a full suite of ground-based training systems and associated embedded training. We’re very excited to be working together with AERALIS on this and in particular what this means for developing the UK aerospace & defence sector and for supporting the future combat aircraft training needs of our customers around the world.”
