The UK Ministry of Defence has made a substantial investment of 300 million pounds (approximately $402.4 million) aimed at enhancing the flight training capabilities of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in the context of modern warfare. This funding has been awarded to Ascent Flight Training, a company based in Bristol, which will be responsible for developing new facilities and implementing advanced synthetic and mission-simulated technologies to facilitate extensive land-based training across a diverse range of aircraft.
The initiative is part of broader reforms intended to expand the scope of military training, with expectations to train four times the number of crews compared to previous years, targeting around 140 personnel annually. Essential to this effort will be the establishment of training facilities at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and Royal Air Force Cranwell. Ascent’s parent company, Babcock, has been tasked with overseeing the development projects at these locations, with an estimated investment of 70 million pounds ($93.8 million) dedicated to this construction.
In tandem with Ascent’s development, Draken, a defense contractor based in Dorset, will offer fleet support for the upgraded Textron King Air 350E Avenger aircrew training platform, bolstering the training infrastructure for the armed forces.
The British defense agency highlighted that this initiative represents a significant advancement for the military’s Future Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and Rear Crew Training System (FIRCTS) program. FIRCTS is integral to the preparatory efforts for future personnel under the UK’s Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS), which operates as a cross-service airborne training program in collaboration with Ascent’s other parent company, Lockheed Martin.
Training modules under FIRCTS will involve contemporary aircraft, including the P-8 Poseidon, RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-7 Wedgetail, Merlin Mk2, AW159 Wildcat, and MQ-9B Protector. UKMFTS Team Leader Capt. Polly Hatchard emphasized the importance of this new flight training contract, describing it as a pivotal step towards enhancing the UK’s defense capabilities. She articulated that the contract not only promises to improve training standards for armed forces personnel but also aims to generate new job opportunities across the UK, contributing to regional economic growth.
