Students Begin Flight Training as Part of Singapore Basic Wings Course

ORLANDO, Fla: The first group of student pilots has begun flight training as a part of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Basic Wings Course (BWC). Lockheed Martin was awarded a 20-year contract by the Singapore Defence Science and Technology Agency to support BWC in November 2006.

As training system integrator, Lockheed Martin provides aircraft, maintenance, simulators, courseware and ground-based instructors to the RSAF's 130 Squadron at Royal Australian Air Force Base Pearce, north of Perth in Western Australia. RSAF pilots use the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop to provide flight instruction to students.

"The commencement of training is a major milestone in this exciting program," said Dale Bennett, president of Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support. "Working with the RSAF, we are delivering a training system that meets their needs today and has the capabilities to expand in the future."

Lockheed Martin used a two-phased approach for BWC -- a mobilization phase and a service provision phase. Pilatus produced the airplanes in Stans, Switzerland and built up a maintenance organization with Hawker Pacific Ltd at RAAF AFB Pearce.

RSAF students attend a three-month ground training course in Singapore supported by Lockheed Martin and nine-months of flight training at Royal Australian Air Force Base Pearce. BWC is similar in scope to the US Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training program and graduates pilots who later complete specialized training in their assigned aircraft.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.