Cubic Corporation announced its Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions (CMPS) business division was awarded a contract to deliver P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) pods and auxiliary training hardware in support of the Combat Air Force (CAF) Contracted Air Support (CAS) program. As part of the program, the U.S. Air Force has contracted private companies that specialize in supplying “red air” adversaries to help train U.S. military fighter pilots. Cubic’s P5 pods will allow the adversary air company to meet Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) interoperability requirements for training with the U.S. Air Force’s fourth generation fighters and F-35s.
Cubic’s P5 pods will be delivered Summer 2021 and will operate on the existing CONUS P5 training ranges. The company expects to deliver more P5 pods during follow on CAF CAS phases at additional Operating Locations. Cubic’s globally fielded P5CTS enhances real-time and post-mission training by displaying the live-air picture, recording mission data, adjudicating weapons engagements and relaying Time, Space and Positioning Information (TSPI) between participating aircraft during training sorties. Key components of the system include secure, GPS-enabled, aircraft-mounted airborne instrumentation pods plus ground stations, which help aircrew conduct, monitor and control air combat training and post-flight debriefing.
Aircrew rely on Cubic systems to prepare for combat missions more effectively, and with less risk,” said Jonas Furukrona, vice president and general manager of LVC Training, Cubic Mission and Performance Solutions. The P5CTS continues to deliver training value for U.S. and allied forces, from unit level to large force training; we look forward to supplying our system to support advanced adversary air training.
CAF CAS is an umbrella program that awards both adversary air and close air support service contracts. This first phase of the CAF CAS program stands up the adversary air (ADAIR) training units at six U.S. Air Force operating locations. The ADAIR P5 pods will be modified to receive TSPI data on a display in their cockpits of the “Blue Air” aircraft to allow for more realistic “Red Air” presentations and tactics, while increasing safety of flight. Cubic and its principal subcontractor, Leonardo DRS, will continue to produce and maintain the P5CTS Pods. The Leonardo DRS Airborne and Intelligence Systems business division is responsible for the design and production of the airborne P5CTS.
