Hensoldt Australia has announced it has delivered an upgrade to the RAAF’s Radar Operational Maintenance Trainer (OMT).

The OMT enables RAAF air traffic control (ATC) radar technicians to develop the skills required to operate and maintain radar systems in a controlled, ‘real life‘ environment. Developed in Australia, the Antenna Control Unit (ACU) Stimulator emulates a working antenna and pedestal system. Technicians undergoing radar training can now interact as if it were an actual antenna, enabling them to learn how to operate the complete system and respond to issues and malfunctions in a realistic and timely manner.

This upgrade aligns the OMT software with that used in operational radars, rather than being modified and unique training software. This reduces the life-cycle costs for the system, and also allows the OMT to be used as an effective rollout platform for future software releases which minimises downtime requirements for the operational system through its 20-year life-of-type.

Hensoldt Australia provides operational and maintenance support, installation, testing, and evaluation of radars across a number of RAAF bases and RAN naval platforms, and the company says this has provided a clear understanding of the end-user environment.

The ACU Stimulator was designed and manufactured by Hensoldt Australia. A second spare system will be manufactured and delivered in 2021, and the product will be available for export to support not only Hensoldt Radars, but also other ATC radars.