Lockheed Martin recently sent the first of a new F-35 simulator to Eglin Air Force Base’s 33rd Fighter Wing, which will begin using the system this fall.
The Lightning II Full Mission Simulator features a high-fidelity 360-degree visual display system and a reconfigurable cockpit suitable for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy variants of the Joint Strike Fighter. It replicates all F-35 sensors and weapons.
Col. Arthur Tomassetti, 33rd Fighter Wing vice commander, said the system is a dramatic improvement over legacy fighter simulators and will allow users to train for a variety of missions. The new simulator will be the go-to device for pilots at the nascent F-35 training center at the Florida base, Tomassetti said.
The Eglin center will combine electronic classrooms and flight events, making use of both desktop simulators and high-fidelity training devices like the new F-35 system.