July 20, 2005 – Through a series of contracts from InfoSystems & CAE (Canada/USA), ASTi will deliver a total of seven (7) Telestra/MBV audio and communication systems for use in the U.S. Navy’s MH-60S “Knighthawk” training program. These latest-generation Telestra systems will simulate all aircraft communications for three (3) MH-60S Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) and four (4) Knighthawk Weapons Tactics Trainers (WTTs) to be fielded at NAS Norfolk and other NAVAIR flight training facilities in the U.S.

The new MH-60S simulators benefit from ASTi’s platform-specific expertise gained in the development of Telestra/MBV systems for two prototype MH-60R “Seahawk” trainers (OFT/WTT), which share a considerable amount of features and technology with the -S variant. The Seahawk prototypes were delivered under contract with J.F. Taylor (Lexington Park, MD) for the Manned Flight Simulator (MFS) facility at NAVAIR’s Air Combat Environment Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF), Patuxent River, MD. One notable feature of the MH-60R training devices is the integration of high-fidelity (48KHz) distributed sonar audio into the communications environment.

Together, the MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters are the U.S. Navy’s newest rotor-wing aircraft, and are the leading platforms in the Navy’s Helicopter Master Plan.

For more information:
“CAE wins US$38 million contract for U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter simulators”