Boeing Defence Australia is responsible for supporting the training of helicopter and UAV pilots of both the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Australian Army. It does so under the auspices of the Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS).
Training takes place at the Joint Helicopter School, which operates under 723 Squadron at HMAS Albatross in Nowra, New South Wales. The facility achieved an initial operating capability in early 2019.
Commander Sam Dale, Commanding Officer of 723 Squadron, succinctly described the Joint Helicopter School’s function: ‘To develop helicopter aircrew for combat.’ The squadron’s leader deliberately alternates between army and navy officers, given that both services utilise the school.
Dale explained: ‘723 Squadron, the Joint Helicopter School, is responsible for training Defence’s helicopter aircrew, and we do that in collaboration with Boeing and other industry partners. It’s essential to our outputs, working together with a common objective, and really joined up and synchronised with an integrated approach for our helicopter training system.’
HATS has the potential to train up to 153 pilots, aviation warfare officers, aircrew, mission sensor operators, remote pilot warfare officers and instructors annually. The first training course was delivered in October 2018, and a total of 241 students had graduated as at late 2022.
Approximately 70-80 students attend the school at any one time, and a trainee helicopter pilot would typically spend nine months at the school. After graduation, pilots and aircrews are assigned to operational squadrons where they learn to fly specific helicopter platforms (MH-60R for the navy, and MRH90, Tiger or CH-47F for the army).
Dale stated that the school boasts 193 staff, of which 61% are from Boeing, 11% from Thales, 16% from the RAN, 7% from the army and 5% from elsewhere. Its 13 pilot instructors have cumulatively achieved more than 60,000 flight hours.
Ian Gibney, Boeing’s HATS Programme Manager, described it as ‘one of the most sophisticated helicopter training schools worldwide’. He said pass rates are very strong, as the system is designed to maximise pass rates. It trains UAV pilots as well.
Other industry partners are Airbus, Safran and Thales. Indeed, HATS employs 15 Airbus H135 T2+ twin-engine helicopters. Classroom instruction is furthered by three Level B full-motion flight simulators from Thales; two tactical part task trainers from Camber Technologies in the USA; one aircraft replica trainer from EDM in the UK; two VR trainers from Virtalis; one marshalling VR trainer from SEA; and ten desktop trainers from Camber.
Thales is responsible for the virtual reality component of the course. Its 6.5 staff teach mission systems and tactical operations on ITAR-free training tools, including ab initio training for radar and sensor operators.
HATS was acquired under Project Air 9000 Phase 7, and Boeing Defence Australia, who had teamed up with Thales Australia, was awarded this contract in October 2014.
Ship operations are practised too thanks to the existence of MV Sycamore, a multirole aviation training vessel based at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney. The 94m-long Damen-built vessel, which arrived in Australia in June 2017, is an important training tool for HATS. This is because RAN warships are usually occupied with other tasks, so are not available for training iterations.
Given that the RAN will receive twelve extra MH-60R helicopters and the army 29 AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, demand for helicopter crews will only grow in Australia. Thus, Amy List, Boeing Defence Australia’s Director of Sustainment Operations, commented: ‘We’ve got a really great challenge ahead of us to make sure that we’re growing the capability to meet that future need, and it’s our partnerships with army and navy that are critical for us to be able to do that.
The Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is highlighting its 5th Generation Jet Fighter KAAN, as well as its T625 Gokbey Helicopter…
Sarsilmaz is bringing its range of weapons to the ongoing show. The company is displaying its defence products from small…
Roketsan is showcasing its well-earned reputation in the development of groundbreaking technologies in rocket, missile and weapon systems at this…
An insight into possible weapon options for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) new Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 light…
Countries across regions are increasingly staying away from Russian arms since due to the fear of inviting U.S. sanctions, opening…
Fresh after its success in deploying 5G services in India, Vietnam’s Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) is at the…
Saab is displaying its training solutions for modern training needs at the ongoing DSA. The company is also showcasing its…
Ranhill Defence & Technology a Malaysian provider of defence solutions has partnered with Thai manufacturer of defence vehicles Chaiseri to…
BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL), the Indo-Russian manufacturer of cruise missiles is presenting its offering for use on air, land…
STM, a prominent player in the Turkish defence sector is showcasing its naval platforms and tactical mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)…
Indian provider of anti-ballistic solutions SMPP Private Limited is presenting its range of bullet-proof armour-based solutions at the ongoing show.…
DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn. Bhd. (DEFTECH) is marking a strong presence at the ongoing with a wide range of offerings…
DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech), a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM Bhd is now undertaking developmental flight testing of Malaysia’s first-ever…
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is seeking to procure two assault craft for its special forces unit, Paskal. These assault…
The Malaysian Army is set to bolster its arsenal with additional mortar systems following previous acquisitions from Spain. In 2022,…
Leonardo is displaying a model of the ATR 72 MPA in Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) colours. Two ATR 72…
Pakistan based defence firm Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) is showcasing its growing range of defence products at the…
The ongoing edition of Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (NATSEC) Asia 2024 now underway is slated to result…
BAE Systems is highlighting the capabilities of Nautomate, an autonomous control system for uncrewed marine vehicles, by demonstrating it on…
Turkish defence firm, ASELSAN is showcasing a growing range of defence equipment and services at the ongoing show, in order…
Emirates has announced the first set of destinations to be served by its A350 aircraft entering service in September 2024.…
Ocean Infinity, has presented a new MH370 underwater search proposal to Anthony Loke, the Malaysian Minister of Transport in Kuala…
The 18th edition of Defence Services Asia this year (DSA 2024) is expected to be the biggest ever in the…
It is not a coincidence that the Turkish contingent at the show is one of the largest. The Turkish defence…
Aselsan is keen to grow its market presence in Malaysia and is participating in the ongoing DSA with a wide…
"During the DSA event, we will be holding important discussions on what we can do to strengthen the naval defence…
Turkiye’s SDT Space & Defence Technologies has brought a wide range of its products to the ongoing show. Among the…
Leonardo, which is showcasing a wide range of products at the ongoing show, has a longstanding presence in Malaysia of…
Rohde & Schwarz is displaying its turnkey mission-proven solutions to achieve full situational awareness at the ongoing show. The company is showcasing…
Belgium-based FN Herstal is showcasing its portfolio of modern small arms at the ongoing Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition and…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.