Boeing Co, ST. LOUIS: The U.S. Air Force has taken the next step toward its vision of a Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) capability as The Boeing Company opens the newest F-15C Mission Training Center at Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, England.
With DMO Air Force pilots in flight simulators at one location are able to train with pilots at other locations hundreds, even thousands of miles away. This innovative training concept will give the Air Force enhanced simulator training as a realistic supplement to flight training.
The new Lakenheath facility joins four other Boeing-operated F-15C Mission training centers, located at Eglin AFB, Fla.; Langley AFB, Va.; Elmendorf AFB, Ak.; and Kadena Air Base in Japan.
Each center includes a suite of F-15C full mission trainers with high-fidelity 360-degree visual integrated display systems, integrated into a virtual environment of simulated threats, friendly and neutral forces that operate in combat theaters worldwide. These ship sets, as well as other Air Force DMO assets, are networked together to provide realistic combat training between distant locations.
“This is another major step for The Boeing Company, and we look forward to helping the Air Force continue its visionary approach to Distributed Mission Operations,” said Keith Hertzenberg, vice president, Boeing Training Systems and Services. “As the Air Force and Boeing move forward in this arena, the nation and our combat forces will be the benefactors because together we will achieve enhanced warfighting capabilities through DMO. Boeing plans to be a long-term partner in its commitment to support the Air Force in making this important endeavor successful.”
In addition to the revolutionary training technology embodied in the DMO program, the Air Force has applied an innovative acquisition approach, which includes a streamlined source selection process and a commercial-fee-for-service contracting method.
“This program represents another milestone in the evolution of the Air Force quest of a better way of doing business, working in concert with industry to provide required capabilities at the most affordable price,” said Hertzenberg.
The complete training system will allow F-15C pilots to “train like they will fight” in simulators that are high fidelity, compact enough to fit in a squadron's building, and most of all, provide realistic combat training at an affordable price, said Hertzenberg.
The total DMO program will eventually incorporate most Air Force weapons systems, including the F-16, A-10 and F-15E. Future growth could include C-5, C-17, Navy, Marine Corps and Army weapons systems.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.5 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense and Department of Homeland Security; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.
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