Cubic tailors mortar simulator for the US Army
The company’s mortar trainer received improvements based on soldier’s feedback.
AW119M helicopter. (Photo: Leonardo)
The US division of Leonardo Helicopters has received a $29.24 million FMS modification for Israel from US Army Contracting Command for additional work on AW119M (also known as AW119Kx) training helicopters.
Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of 30 June 2024.
In February 2019, Israel announced that it had ordered seven AW119Ms from Leonardo Helicopters to replace its fleet of 1970s-era Bell 206 aircraft used to train pilots.
The company received a $38.43 million FMS contract in December 2019 to manufacture the helicopters and provide training services and spare parts by September 2020.
Five more AW119Ms were ordered in September 2020 from Italy under a reciprocal agreement whereby Israel provided Rafael Spike missiles and Elbit simulators.
The AW119M features four composite main rotor blades and two tail rotor blades, driven by a PT6 turboshaft engine. Avionics options include LCDs and a three-axis duplex automatic flight control system.
The company’s mortar trainer received improvements based on soldier’s feedback.
The company will operate in two new locations in the coming years to better support US services.
This type of tool provides more realistic training easing the incorporation of new scenarios that accurately represent the threats of the battlefield.
The Engineering Corps has been conducting individual instruction using FLAIM Systems’ Sweeper and should start collective deployments in 2025.
The next-generation platform is motion-compatible and can be used in OTW and NVG applications.
The system can be used to prepare soldiers for both drone offensive operations and CUAS missions.