Replacing Canada’s Failing CC-130s: 17 C-130Js

CC-130J flyout
(click to view full)

Canada needs to upgrade its training systems – and needs to upgrade its new planes for future flight in civil airspace?!?; Additional Readings updated & upgraded.

July 21/14: Training. An C$ 32.5 million amendment to the CC-130J Operational Training Systems Provider contract (q.v. Feb 13/09) is signed to align the CC-130J training system with ongoing upgrades to the aircraft themselves. The fleet

“Upgrades to the fleet will include significantly improved navigation, communication, and maintenance capabilities to allow the CC-130J to operate effectively in civil and military airspace for the next five to 10 years.”

That was very forseeable before the acquisition contract was signed, but regardless, the training environments must be upgraded to correspond with the fleet modernization. All training simulators and courseware need to be examined, and in some cases fully developed. Lesson plans, publications, training devices, and spares processes will be updated to match the fleet upgrades, with training delivered by military instructors at 426 Squadron at CFB Trenton, ON. Sources: Canada DND, “Modernizing the CC-130J Training Environment”.