E-2C Hawkeye Weapons Systems Trainers used by the U.S. Navy are due to receive software updates and instructor operator station improvements. (Rockwell Collins)
- Filed Under
So you’d like to update a couple of your AEW&C simulators? No problem. That will be $38 million, please.
Rockwell Collins recently contracted to perform “concurrency upgrades” to two U.S. Navy E-2C Weapon System Trainers and one Simulated Maintenance Trainer. The systems replicate the E-2C Hawkeye, a tactical airborne early warning and control aircraft.
In the newest upgrade, Rockwell Collins will outfit the trainers with software updates and instructor operator station improvements. The company will incorporate communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic management capabilities for the maintenance training program. With options, the program has a potential value of — you guessed it — $38 million.
Rockwell Collins is also the prime contractor for major training systems for the Navy’s future E-2C replacement: the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. New training systems will have to adapt to changes in the E-2D aircraft, which will have new radar with mechanical and electronic scanning ability, new mission computer and tactical workstations, an all-glass tactical cockpit and modernized communications.
The training systems Rockwell Collins will be responsible for include the Hawkeye Integrated Training System for Maintenance (HITS-M) and the Hawkeye Integrated Training System for Aircrew (HITS-A).
