UKMFTS is a Tri-Service programme that will cater for the future flying training needs of the UK Armed Forces. UKMFTS will deliver the training of 19 aircrew disciplines, including Defence Helicopter Flying School, to the quality and quantity specified by MoD. It covers the period from the entry of students who have passed through Aircrew Selection up to the point they leave UKMFTS ready to enter their respective Operational Conversion Units (OCU).

UKMFTS also covers the training of the Instructors (both military and civilian) needed within UKMFTS, plus refresher training. In addition it covers the provision of aircraft for University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights.

UKMFTS cannot operate in isolation from other elements of the Armed Forces and many dependencies will need to be managed coherently to deliver the requirement. Importantly, UKMFTS is concerned with the delivery of training and training capability, rather than the procurement of platforms and infrastructure.

The Requirement
The UK's air combat capability is dependent on the timely supply of trained aircrew to the frontline. The systems that underpin our current RAF, RN and Army military training pipelines have evolved over a number of years. However, these systems are increasingly unable to train aircrew for the tasks they are likely to meet in the front line. Four key factors are driving change within the current military flying training systems:

One - Training Aircraft Capability
Avionics within our current training aircraft are largely analogue legacy systems that no longer reflect the increasing exploitation of digital technology found in modern operational aircraft. As a result, the training system is unable to teach the operational techniques or information management skills required on the front line. The situation will continue to deteriorate as ever more sophisticated frontline aircraft enter service and as we seek to exploit Network-Enabled Capability. Additionally, many of the training aircraft are approaching their Out-of-Service Dates, are increasingly difficult to support and would require costly upgrades to extend their useful lives.

Two - Training Technology
The way in which we train aircrew has changed significantly over the last 25 years and will continue to evolve. Making the best use of information systems and Ground Based Training Environments (GBTE) will enable us to optimise training costs and reduce time spent within the training system and, through the use of modern digital technology, provide the foundation for continuing evolution.

Three - Training Needs and Quality
Reduced crew complements in modern frontline aircraft require a different standard of training to that which the current system is designed, or has the resources to provide. As a consequence an increasing amount of training has been up loaded onto operational aircraft. This is wasteful, since operational aircraft are up to ten times more expensive to operate than training types, but it also places an inappropriate training burden on the OCUs and frontline, diverting attention and resources away from operational tasks.

Four - System Integration
There are significant inefficiencies in the current flying training system, which arise from a failure to achieve economies of scale and from disjointed commercial structures and fragmented management structures. Aircrew could be trained more cost effectively than at present if a holistic approach was adopted across all 3 services and all aircrew training pipelines.

Preferred Acquisition Strategy
Following extensive work during the Convergence phase of UKMFTS, the approved strategy is to select, through competition, an industry Training System Partner (TSP) to work with the MoD over the life of the programme to design, deliver and manage training across all pipelines and sites. It is envisaged that component parts of the UKMFTS system, the Training System Enablers (TSEs), will be procured through a mix of TSP or MoD initiated PFI and smart conventional procurement routes. It has already been directed that the platform component of AJT will be a MoD initiated conventional procurement of HAWK 128.

Partnering
Fundamental to the success of UKMFTS will be the relationship between MoD and the chosen Training System Partner (TSP). MoD will retain overall control of UKMFTS output requirements, formulate policy, enforce standards and provide some of the inputs (e.g. fuel. The TSP will design the overall system to meet the requirement, maintain the detailed syllabuses for each training pipeline and take day-to-day responsibility for the management of the Training Service.

In addition, the role will include delivery of discrete training services such as instructional manpower, the training management information system, facilities management, and procurement of some assets and services such as platforms and GBTE. The MoD expects the TSP to draw together the flying training system into a coherent whole and establish a set of relationships between all of the various parties contributing to the deliver of flying training outputs.

Partnering principles will overlay the provisions of the contract and include joint working, liaison procedures, collocation, joint management boards and dispute resolution procedures. Each of the main elements that constitute this approach have been analysed using the Defence Systems Approach to Training.

Systems Approach to Training
UKMFTS will be undertaken using a Systems Approach to Training (SAT) Loop

In addition to the SAT, the following points should be noted;

• Support. UKMFTS will not seek to reverse the contractorised engineering and maintenance at Flying Training units

• Infrastructure. An area where considerable investment may be required, particularly if rationalisation of training function, e.g. centralised ground school, is considered

• IT A system which spans the training continuum to support activities such as programming, trainee progress monitoring and aircraft availability would greatly enhance efficiency. This is referred to as the Training Management and Information System

• STE. Synthetic Training will form an increasingly important role within UKMFTS but will not completely replace live flying

• Platforms. Modern platforms reflecting front line training needs

• Management.A structure that allows oversight and control of all flying training functions and the redirection of resources to maximise efficiency

Maintaining the Ethos
With the requirement of UKMFTS to train military pilots it is considered essential that a military ethos is developed and maintained throughout the training programme. A number of steps will be undertaken to achieve this which include:

• Overarching military structure

• Culture set by military command chain

• Flying Standards to be defined by military

• Trainees to be involved in service routines, duties and traditions

• Close links with operational units

• General Service Training program

CURRENT FLYING TRAINING

• RAF Flying Training - Aircrew Training

• RAF Flying Training - Weapons System Officer (WSO) Training

• RAF Flying Training - Pilot Training

• RAF Flying Training - Weapon System Operators (WSOps) Training

• Royal Navy Flying Training

• Army Air Corps (AAC)

CURRENT TRAINING PLATFORM

• Grob Tutor

• Firefly

• Dominie

• Tucano

• Beechcraft 200

• Jetstream

• Hawk

• Squirrel HT1

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