The Buffalo “Herd” at 404 (Long Range Patrol and Training) Squadron, 14 Wing Greenwood; hosted visitors from the United States Naval Air Warfare Training Services Division (NAWCTSD), the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) Project Management Office team, amongst other Infrastructure visitors; August 22 to 24.
For 404 Squadron, there were two focus areas: first, a survey on the installation of the new virtual maintenance trainers (VMT) and the technician electronic classrooms (EC) was completed. These high-technology devices will give the Poseidon technicians excellent maintainer training before they graduate from 404 Squadron’s Operational Training Unit (OTU) and report to their new duties keeping the Poseidon fleet mission ready. The VMTs and ECs will be in the Hornell Centre until the OUT’s new building infrastructure is ready.
Secondly, two days of discussion focussed on the detailed aircrew synthetic training capabilities to be brought in with the arrival of the new weapon system trainers (WST). The WST is composed of a pilot trainer – the operation flight trainer and the airborne electronic sensor operator and air combat systems officer tactical crew trainer – the weapons tactics trainer. The combined trainers forming the WST together provide aircrew with leading-edge basic and advanced synthetic training. The WST will prepare crews to conduct long endurance surveillance missions and protect Canada’s three maritime approaches from aggressive nations. Planning is maturing to network the CP8A WST with other Canadian Armed Forces’ synthetic trainers and Five Eye allies.
The Department of National Defence’s Public Service Simulation Flight is unique in Canada and has provided – and will continue to provide – the best training for the best people at 404 Squadron’s OTU. Our mission is to ensure our RCAF crews are “Ready to Fight!”
