Handover of the Upgraded NH90 Full Mission Trainer

Since 2012, the Royal Netherlands Air Force has operated an NH90 simulator, enabling crews to train under a wide range of conditions. After more than 25,000 simulated flight hours flown by Dutch and international crews, a major upgrade was needed to keep the system current and operationally relevant. Over the past four years, this work has been carried out by a project team from COMMIT, CLRS and Unified International, together with the contractor CAE Inc. The handover ceremony for the upgraded NH90 Full Mission Flight Trainer (FMFT) is completed.

During this period, a Unified International specialist with extensive operational and technical knowledge of the NH90 helicopter has assisted and advised COMMIT during the development, build and acceptance of the NH90 Full Mission Flight Trainer. With the Ready For Training milestone now achieved, training in the upgraded simulator can begin.

To be well prepared for operations, helicopter crews must train intensively. In most simulators, aircraft and helicopter cockpit crews primarily learn to handle systems and emergency procedures. That, however, is only one part of what the upgraded NH90 simulator offers. From mission preparation and decision-making through to actual execution, it is essential that every aspect of an operation can be rehearsed realistically.

The simulator makes it possible to train a wide range of operational scenarios, including anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare and counter-narcotics operations. Training takes place under the direct supervision of an instructor, with each mission analysed and evaluated in detail afterwards so that lessons learned are put to the fullest use. The quality of the simulator is so high that the hours flown count fully as real flight hours.

Large-scale modernisation
After the existing simulator building was adapted last December and the old simulator and other hardware were removed, the five-month installation began in January at Maritime Air Station De Kooy. Work ran in multiple shifts, from early morning until late at night, to bring everything online on schedule. Not only the cockpit, but also all computer systems and instructor stations have been completely renewed.

At CAE, around 300 employees across 50 technical teams worked on the development and delivery of the system. The work was carried out in close cooperation with COMMIT and CLRS. The partly expanded and renewed team of Squadron 7, responsible for supporting the simulator, is now operational and ready to begin training. The team is supported in this by specialists from the NLR for the further development of new training scenarios.

Rear Crew Trainer temporarily adapted
The simulator consists of two main components: the Full Flight Trainer, or cockpit, and the Rear Crew Trainer, the rear section of the helicopter where the sensor operators work. Owing to a delay in the delivery of a new building extension, the Rear Crew Trainer could not yet be installed in its final configuration. In consultation with the user and the manufacturer, COMMIT decided not to delay putting the simulator into service. A temporary solution was developed in which the sensor stations and associated hardware were removed from the Rear Crew Trainer and set up in a separate room. Once the new extension is ready, the simulator will be fully assembled and installed in its definitive configuration.

Thanks to this temporary solution, the Ready For Training milestone has been achieved, and training with full crews in the upgraded simulator can already begin.

Unified International wishes every pilot, sensor operator and instructor who will train in it every success, along with the Squadron 7 team supporting the simulator and the NLR specialists who continue to develop new training scenarios.