CAE to Develop USAF HH-60W Virtual/Mixed Reality Aircrew Trainer

Montreal-based global training systems integrator, CAE announced that it has been awarded a Project Level Agreement under the SOSSEC consortium’s AFLCMC Consortium Initiative (ACI) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to design and develop the initial prototype HH-60W virtual reality/mixed reality (VR/MR) aircrew trainer.  The HH-60W, known as Jolly Green II, is the US Air Force’s new combat search and rescue helicopter.

SOSSEC, Inc, manages the SOSSEC consortium and manages Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) with US Department of Defence agencies to carry out prototype projects.  The prototype HH-60W VR/MR aircrew trainer will be developed for the US Air Force’s Air Combat Command, which oversees the critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for US military services and allies.

CAE USA is partnering with Armick Inc, a small business, non-traditional defence contractor specialising in rotary-wing support equipment, to develop the HH-60W VR/MR aircrew trainer.  The prototype training device will enable immersive training in a virtual and mixed-reality environment for the entire crew, including pilot, co-pilot and rear-crew special mission aviators.

“This is an exciting development project that will leverage several cutting-edge digital technologies to create a new and unique training device for full-crew mission training,” said President and General Manager, CAE USA, Ray Duquette. “Playing a role in helping prepare specialised rescue forces to conduct the combat search and rescue mission is an honour, and we are thrilled to be selected to add this capability to the overall HH-60W training curriculum.”

The HH-60W VR/MR aircrew trainer will feature some physical components such as cyclic and collective grips and gun mounts integrated with a virtual reality cockpit and rear compartment of the helicopter.  Each of the aircrew will wear a VR headset to immerse the entire crew into an integrated virtual environment where familiarization and procedural training or full-crew mission training can be conducted.  CAE is designing the HH-60W VR/MR aircrew trainer to be easily transportable for use as deployable mission rehearsal system.

The prototype HH-60W VR/MR aircrew trainer will be delivered to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia during the second quarter of 2022. –cae/adj/aaa (Images:CAE)