Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft.
Leidos, a FORTUNE® 500 science and technology leader, was recently tapped to provide pilot training for U.S. Army aviators as part of their transition to the service’s High Accuracy Detection, Exploitation System (HADES) program.
“Leidos is pleased to help train the next generation of airborne ISR pilots for the U.S. Army and support their critical mission,” said Micah Stauffer, Leidos vice president and director of aviation operations. “This project further exemplifies our commitment to supporting the Army’s missions on near-peer platforms. The investments made by Leidos serve as an important foundation as the HADES program continues to evolve.”
Leidos will provide ground and flight training for Army aviators through Bombardier Global 6000-class business jets. The company will provide Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified flight instructors to administer instruction to the student pilots. Leidos will also provide curriculum, support materials and help develop training manuals. The training will follow the FAA’s commercial simulator type rating and includes aircrew currency and progression requirements. This will support Army aviator currency and proficiency training.
The HADES (High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System) program aims to find a replacement for the old US Army Guardrail turboprop aircraft, deployed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The goal is to replace the old fleet with a faster and more capable jet.
The service plans to begin a prototype acquisition and demonstration phase for HADES in the second quarter of this year. A prototype would undergo qualification, testing and evaluation beginning in the second quarter of FY24 through the second quarter of FY26, followed by a military user assessment ending in the fourth quarter of FY28.