Air Power 2017

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS AIR POWER 2017 97

21 ST CENTURY CAPABILITIES

aircrew and enable the continued use of training as

a soft-power tool to know the world better through

training the next generation. Nothing about this

transition will be easy, but a close partnership – built on

co-terminus objectives and a shared sense of success –

will be the critical strength of the system into the future.

ACCOUNTING FOR SHORTFALLS

Shortfalls in the existing flying training system led to

RAF Project 08, ‘A strategic study into the conduct

of flying training from 2008 and beyond’, and the

intent to outsource delivery of a new system of

training to a service provider. In December 2002, the

Ministry of Defence (MOD) approved £39 million for

an assessment study to investigate a PFI solution,

and four consortia entered a competition to deliver a

25-year programme from 2004. The £6 billion MFTS

PFI contract was awarded in 2006 to the Babcock

(formerly VT Group) and Lockheed Martin joint

venture Ascent Flight Training to deliver military

aircrew until 2033. Central to this award was the need

to optimise time in training, close the gap between

the skills of aircrew finishing training and those used

on the front line, reduce the overall cost, transfer risk,

increase flexibility to respond to changes, promote

continuous improvement and innovation and

integrate better the different stages of core training.

However, analysis, scrutiny, changes to the needs

of defence, and negotiation reduced the original 2011

£6.8 billion forecast to £3.2 billion, with a five-year slip

Nothing about this transition will be easy,

but a close partnership – built on co-terminus

objectives and a shared sense of success –

will be the critical strength of the system

The RAF’s Central
Flying School
remains a model for
air force training
organisations
worldwide
(PHOTO: SGT JACK
PRITCHARD/© CROWN
COPYRIGHT)