Page 43 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

aircraft because we have multiple crew Left page insets to the proliferation of new contractors, CCAS contracts
members. We can easily simulate up to six top to bottom: The with each new start-up learning from the This approach has already paid o , as
aircraft. Four is very simple, and we can Dillon Aerospace experiences of others who came before Valkyrie recently partnered with Textron’s
7.62 minigun pods
do six aircraft with each crew member used by Valkyrie’s them. The most common model for new Airborne Tactical Advantage Company
simulating two additional pilots. The Tucanos. companies to get a foot in the door is to (ATAC) in a successful bid for the US Navy’s
rear-seater is the sensor operator and the Valkyrie Aero bid on a contract with a ‘paper eet’ — Terminal Attack Controller Training (TACT)
front-seater is the CAS pilot. You might A view through aircraft the company could acquire for program. This contract will see Valkyrie
be [simulating] a four-ship of ‘Hogs’ and it the L3 Wescam the mission if given the green light. Such putting its Tucanos to work providing
just works out.’ With one aircraft, Valkyrie MX-15 sensor companies only go about the business of CCAS for navy JTACs, alongside ATAC’s
turret that
typically gets the pilot to act as the lead equips Valkyrie’s building assets to meet the demands of Aero Vodochody L-39s and Beechcraft
and number three aircraft, and the back- EMB-312Fs. the contract after it is awarded. AT-6 Wolverines.
seater acts as the number two and four The MX-15 is a This model has worked well, and is a While CCAS is Valkyrie’s core mission,
proven system
aircraft, thereby o ering a notional ight for day and proven lower-risk strategy, but Valkyrie the company can provide other services
of four CAS aircraft. night full-motion decided to take a di erent approach. that the Tucano lends itself to well.
For every training event the company video and target Keebaugh explained, ‘We’ve done what Keebaugh said, ‘We’ve got the expertise
designation.
supports, Valkyrie’s pilots and JTACs are Valkyrie Aero no-one has ever done before. We built to do training for FAC-A [forward air
deeply involved from long before wheels- Below: Up close our eet, our capability, before ever controller — airborne], training for ISR,
up through to the nal mission debrief. and personal getting a dime from the government. and for personnel recovery’. This past
According to McCutchan, ‘We do face-to- with the ‘offi ce’ There are several companies in several April, Valkyrie’s crews had an opportunity
face pre-briefs and debriefs, and we also of a Valkyrie industries that will go into it safe and to y contract ISR during a USAF exercise
A-27. With night
record the mission, so we’ve got both the vision-compatible put a proposal together about what called ‘Razor’s Edge’ at Davis-Monthan
sensor feed as well as the audio recording cockpits in the they would do if they won. We’ve taken AFB, Arizona.
for [analysis].’ company’s this eet of aircraft and modi ed them During the two-week exercise, which
Tucanos and to where we could go and operate served as a pre-deployment workup
Mission-ready from day one pilots current tomorrow. That way, when we do get the for the pararescuemen (PJs) of the 48th
on NVG fl ight
Contract air services have been operations, contract, there’s no build-up time on the Rescue Squadron (RQS), Valkyrie’s Tucanos
supporting the US military for in excess Valkyrie can government’s dime. We’ve already done seamlessly lled the roles that would
support JTAC
of two decades. Increased demand for training deep into that, and I don’t think anyone has done traditionally be assumed by unmanned
the kind of support they provide has led the night. that in this industry.’ aerial vehicles such as the MQ-9 Reaper

We approached this

from the standpoint

of, if we’re going to train
JTACs, let’s talk to [them]

and see what they want, and

then we’ll buy the airplane

and equipment that the

JTACs want for their training

Todd McCutchan

www.Key.Aero // January 2020 43

21/11/2019 21:00
38-44 Valkyrie Aero C.indd 43 21/11/2019 21:00
38-44 Valkyrie Aero C.indd 43