WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — UK Royal Navy pilots will train to fly F-35 jets from the new aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth next year on a newly designed simulator, BAE Systems announced in a press release.
“A world-leading flight engineering simulator created by BAE Systems is ready to be ‘flown’ by F-35 Lightning II pilots for the first time as they prepare for flight trials on the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier next year,” the release stated on Wednesday.
“The £2 million [$2.49 million]… simulator facility offers a 360-degree immersive experience for pilots to fly the jet to and from the UK carrier. It comprises a cockpit moved by an electronic motion platform and a full representation of the ship’s flying control tower (FLYCO),” the release said.
The 360-degree view for pilots is vital as potential obstacles on an aircraft carrier are often behind the pilots as they land. Over the coming months the simulator will be used by UK and US military test pilots who have experience of flying F-35s on US carriers, BAE said.
The F-35 program has Navy, Air Force and Marine variants of the fifth generation aircraft. The program is the most expensive weapon system in the history of the Defense Department.
