Successful project on simulation-based pilot training and LVC

IFAD TS A/S has participated in the successful project FITS4TOP on simulation-based pilot training, multi-domain environments and LVC (Live, Virtual and Constructive).

The FITS4TOP (Future Integrated Training System for TOP Pilots) project, co-funded by the European Union under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) 2019, is an innovative “system of systems” designed to enhance the current Live, Virtual and Constructive capabilities of the military pilot training syllabus. Trainees can interact in real time with instructors and other pilots operating simulators, engaging with increasingly complex and realistic simulated mission scenarios.

In FITS4TOP IFAD TS has, among other things, delivered and integrated its JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) training systems, radio simulators, and interoperability. JTACs play a critical role in Close Air Support (CAS) missions, which require a high degree of integration between airborne fighter aircraft and personnel operating on the ground.

The project has been a natural activity for IFAD in connection with the company’s successful F-16 pilot training systems (DART, Deployable Air Readiness Trainer) simulators that IFAD has delivered to air force customers in Denmark, Portugal, Ukraine, and Argentina.

In the FITS4TOP project LVC capabilities – which enable real aircraft in flight to be combined within a single mission with simulated elements and computer-generated friendly or adversary forces – have been extended into a modern multi-domain environment, characterised by a high level of interoperability and marks a significant milestone in the development of advanced LVC capabilities for the training of future combat pilots in multi-scenario environments.

FITS4TOP has brought together six industrial partners under Leonardo’s leadership: Italiana Ponti Radio, IFAD TS, MBDA Group, CS Group, METRA, and INCAS from Italy, Denmark, France, and Romania.

Based on the participation and execution of the FITS4TOP project, IFAD has gained a deeper understanding of aircraft simulator requirements, and integration of our solutions in multi-domain LVC environments. In addition, IFAD has benefited from cooperation with an expanded network of professional partners, resulting in continued collaboration and participation in future projects within the frameworks of EDF/EDIDP.