F-35 Training Subsystems to be Produced by Cubic, Leonardo

Four U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. (Lockheed Martin)

Leonardo DRS and Cubic Global Defense will deliver more than 500 P5 combat training system (P5CTS) internal subsystems for use in F-35s beginning with lot 12.

More than 500 systems have been delivered for low-rate initial production Joint Strike Fighters, and the new contracts given by Lockheed Martin to contractor Cubic and by Cubic to sub-contractor Leonardo will account for the first three production lots of the F-35 over the next four years.

The P5CTS is an internally mounted box that is installed by Lockheed during production. It interfaces with the jet’s avionics to enable real-time, live monitoring and recorded training scenarios for training and post-mission analysis. While the F-35 uses an internal subsystem, fourth-generation combat aircraft use wing-mounted P5CTS pods for training.

“Fifth-generation aircrew require a complex training scenario to prepare them for combat operations in a contested environment,” said Dave Buss, president of Cubic Global Defense, in a statement. “With this next-generation air combat training system, F-35 fighter pilots can receive not only a dedicated training system to accurately capture exercise data but also have the capability to train with fourth-generation aircraft that carry a wing-mounted pod version of the P5 Combat Training System.”

Cubic has provided the P5CTS for all F-35s to date and, according to Cubic Vice Presideny of Air Ranged Jonas Furukrona, all planned F-35s will have the system.