Priority 1 Air Rescue awarded multi-year contract by French Ministry of Armed Forces Command

Priority 1 Air Rescue (P1AR) has announced that it has been awarded a multi-year contract by the French Ministry of Armed Forces command to provide virtual SAR, tactical, aerial use of force/gunnery, and night vision imaging systems (NVIS) simulation and training support services.

These services will be offered to helicopter aircrews operating the H225M, AS532, SA330, NH90, AS565, H125M and AS342 Gazelle.

The training will take place at the P1AR Search and Rescue Tactical Training Academy (SART/TAC) located in Bordeaux, France.

The instructor-led and simulation training package will be provided for initial to advanced level aircrews to include mission training for inland and maritime hoist SAR, shipboard operations, external sling load, aerial sniper-M240/M134/GAU21 gunnery, and forward looking infrared imaging (FLIR)/Night Vision Goggle (NVG) operations, to be performed in all weather conditions and relevant geographical environments.

Training will incorporate pilot and rear-crew SAR mission synthetic sessions using two Advanced Aircrew Mission Simulators (AAMS) that will be integrated with tactile learning on three multi-aircraft configured hoist/fast-rope training towers in order to provide technical and procedural hoist operations practice.

Steve Barreau, Chief Operations Officer of Priority 1 Air Rescue France, said: “This second four-year contract demonstrates the importance French Ministry of the Armed Forces has for innovative and effective training solutions employing synthetic technology.

“We are truly honored to have been awarded this contract to provide enhanced SAR/Tactical mission training capabilities for the French MoAF helicopter aircrews.”

He added: “Employing a virtual simulation component provides not only realistic immersion, but more importantly, a more graduated learning process that also includes accurate context to the skills and scenarios being practiced and employed during actual live flight, which will significantly enhance our partners’ ability to train for their complete range of missions.”