Boeing yesterday announced that it will assist in the development of the U.S. Air Force F-16 Mission Training Center (MTC) program as part of a team led by L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link). The Aeronautical Systems Center’s Simulator Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, awarded L-3 Link a $68.2 million contract for the program in December 2008.

The multiyear contract includes options for the production, delivery and sustainment of up to 20 four-ship F-16 MTCs at Air Force installations in the United States, Europe and Pacific region. High-fidelity F-16 MTC simulators, which will accurately model all of the fighter aircraft’s weapon systems and ordnance, will be delivered in Block 40/42 and 50/52 configurations to support basic and advanced pilot mission training, tactics validation and mission rehearsal.

If the contract options are exercised, Training Systems & Services will provide F-16 MTC Synthetic Forces Entity Simulation, weapons simulation, instructor/operator stations and brief/debrief stations. L-3 Link will develop and deliver the F-16 simulation, crew stations and visual system, in addition to being responsible for overall system integration, program management and logistics support.

Each F-16 simulator will include a 360-degree visual system, robust synthetic environment, instructor/operator station and brief/debrief station. The simulators can be operated individually or linked together to provide four-ship training, both within the MTC and linked to the DMO network.

Boeing Training Systems & Services has delivered and currently operates five Air Force F-15C MTCs and three F-15E MTCs around the world. Boeing also is integrating the F-22 Raptor Full Mission Trainer into the DMO training network.