Dassault Aviation,
The French air force and navy can call on an exceptional cutting-edge facility to train their pilots: the Rafale Simulation Center.
A purpose-designed facility was built at the air force base in Saint-Dizier, eastern France, for the first Rafale Simulation Center. Opened on January 24, 2008, it houses four Rafale flight simulators and mission management systems for the instructors.
The innovative display system, designed by Sogitec, gives the pilot a complete field-of-view, bright and with excellent contrast, allowing the use of night vision goggles. The cockpit and pilot controls guarantee a totally realistic feel, because they use actual Rafale equipments. In other words, pilots are plunged into a strikingly real environment.
Two simulation centers, soon to be networked
Four Rafale fighters are set to “take off” for all types of missions, whether solo or on group patrol, in a dense tactical environment: aerial combat, ground attack, in-flight refueling, aircraft carrier launches and deck landings. The simulators can be coupled to carry out multi-aircraft exercises, using both single and twin-seat versions. Weather conditions are full adjustable, and change realistically over time.
The Saint-Dizier Rafale Simulation Center is already training Rafale pilots. On January 9, 2009, the French navy added another Rafale Simulation Center at the Landivisiau naval air base in Brittany. The two Rafale Simulation Centers will soon be networked so they can carry out joint training missions.
Dassault Aviation, architect and prime
Multidisciplinary teamwork was a decisive factor in the successful creation of the Rafale Simulation Center. Dassault Aviation’s Military Customer Support Division (DGSM), backed by the Rafale program division, has driven all of these activities from the outset. It made sure that the new simulators were technically in coherence with the aircraft definition, while remaining focused on satisfying customer requirements.
The engineering division (DGT) acts as technical expert, in particular for Rafale simulation, while the pilots in the flight test division (DEV) take part in operational qualification.
The Rafale Simulation Center is the outcome of five years of development by Dassault Aviation and Thales Airborne Systems as co-contractors, working closely with the manufacturers of the simulation systems, Sogitec and Thales Services. French defense procurement agency DGA is the contracting authority, with support from specialists in the French air force and navy.
A contract first
Awarded in 2003, the contract includes the development and the building of the two Rafale Simulation Centers (Saint-Dizier for the French Air Force and Landivisiau for the French Navy). A full support service for several years is also included into this same contract.
For the first time in French military aircraft simulators area, this is a comprehensive contract.
