Spanish Ground Forces to receive EC135 training system from Indra

Indra has been awarded a contract to supply an integrated training system for the Spanish Ground Forces’ EC135 twin-engine helicopters.

The Spanish Ministry of Defence’s Arms and Materials General Board (DGAM) has awarded the €14.4m contract, under which the company will deliver an EC135 trainer for installation at Spanish Ground Forces Simulation Center (CESIFAMET), located at Base Coronel Maté in Madrid.

The system consists of a level D mission simulator that accurately reproduces aircraft flight behaviour, simulation support systems, as well as a computer-assisted trainer that will provide support to learning about helicopter systems and flight and maintenance procedures.

The trainer is compatible with visual and tactical databases present in the Chinook, Cougar and Tiger simulators earlier supplied by the company, which will enable FAMET pilots to train together in a virtual environment and prepare for real operations.

To date, the EC135 helicopter simulator has already been exported to several countries, and is currently used by its customers in Dallas, the US, Donauwörth, Germany, Warsaw, Poland and Kobe, Japan.

According to Indra, the contract strengthens its partnership with the Spanish Army, which already uses a simulation centre supplied by the company.

Shared between military bases at Colmenar and Almagro, Spain, the system is chosen as a training centre for a number of allied armies

The Spanish Ground Forces currently operate 12 EC135 helicopters, which are called HE-26 in their flight training version.

Built by Airbus Helicopters, the EC135 is a lightweight helicopter designed for emergency medical services, homeland security, offshore platform services, corporate/VIP transport, as well as military light utility and training missions.

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Image: The EC135 training system will feature a level D mission simulator, simulation support systems and a computer-assisted trainer. Photo: courtesy of Indra.