L-3 Link Simulation & Training has announced that it has been awarded a contract from the US Army’s Programme Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) to build two UH-60M Operational Flight Trainers (OFTs) for the Taiwan Army.

The six-DoF motion equipped devices are similar to those used on the US Army’s Flight School XXI programme. This award represents the company’s first export sale of its advanced rotary-wing OFT product line and as such, presents a major opportunity for future UH-60 simulator sales.

The first UH-60M OFT, which will be delivered to Taiwan Army’s Shinshou Training Facility, will become ready for training during the fourth quarter of 2014 as the service begins to receive its initial UH-60M helicopters. The second UH-60M OFT will begin training pilots during the first quarter of 2015. Under a one-year contract, with an option for a second 12 months, Link will also provide contractor logistics support to maintain the UH-60M simulators and support equipment.

“We look forward to providing the Taiwan Army with advanced technology flight simulators that will enable UH-60M aircrews to gain aircraft-equivalent training for all modes of flight,” says Lenny Genna, President of L-3 Link. “The delivery of the OFTs will enable the Taiwan Army to conduct pilot training commensurate with the US Army’s Flight School XXI training capability.”

As part of the contract, Link will integrate the OFTs with a Taiwan geospecific database that will be NVG compatible. The company is yet to announce what visual system is being used for this foreign military sales (FMS) programme.