§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in introducing low flight and air combat simulators into the Royal Air Force and in improving their realism; and what is the cost programme for these simulators.
§ Mr. FreemanSimulators of increasing sophistication and realism are currently being introduced into service. RAF air crew have been training for several years in a prototype air combat simulator, and a production system772W was delivered to RAF Coningsby in November 1987. Orders have recently been placed for Harrier GR5 mission simulators which will include digitally generated visual systems to provide a low-level flying training capability.
The training value of simulators remains limited by their inability to simulate all aspects of flying and they must, therefore, be seen as a supplement to low-level flying training and air combat exercises in aircraft. The total procurement cost of all RAF simulator programmes in 1986–87 was £22.4 million.