The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) fixed wing contract has successfully reached financial close. Mott MacDonald is lenders’ technical advisor on the scheme, which will be delivered and managed by Ascent Flight Training, the Ministry of Defence’s appointed training service partner.
The contract secures the continued provision and modernisation of fixed wing elementary flying training from 2017, multi-engine pilot training from 2018 and basic flying training from 2019. Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock, has been selected to deliver all of the ground based training equipment and infrastructure to support the delivery of these training capabilities.
Mott MacDonald’s due diligence during the project’s financing stage included reviewing potential technical issues and commercial implications arising from the project agreement and schedules. The consultancy also appraised the stakeholders’ competence, track record and capabilities, as well as the design solution, construction planning, capital and operating expenditure, lifecycle costing and the project’s payment mechanism. Mott MacDonald will now provide design development and construction monitoring services in an ongoing role.
Keith Mitchell, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “This project is a continuation of our long-standing involvement in the UKMFTS programme, which began with our lenders’ technical advisor role on the Advanced Jet Trainer private finance initiative which reached financial close in 2008.”
The fixed wing contract lasts until 2033.