JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. –
Two Navy organizations are partnering to bring a unique Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) simulator to the Lakehurst side of base, which will bring enhanced testing and training capabilities while saving time and money.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst and the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) Lakehurst Detachment are partnering to open an Advanced Recovery Control (ARC) simulator.
NAWCAD Lakehurst’s ALRE mission includes engineers who support Sailors in the fleet when there are issues with a ship’s ARC system. They will often troubleshoot the problem by either traveling to the ship or trying to recreate the issue in the lab.
“If something happens on the ship it’s difficult for us to replicate it. The only way to resolve the issue is to ask the ship for data. Wait for the data. Go over the data. It’s hard to sometimes replicate issues that we’ve never encountered before,” said Jacob Abujaber, NAWCAD Lakehurst electrical engineer who spearheaded the partnership with CNATT Lakehurst.
Abujaber saw the need for an ARC simulator on base, which would allow engineers to recreate and troubleshoot issues on the spot, saving travel costs and improving response time.
He turned to CNATT Detachment Lakehurst, which has an ARC system installed on the base for training purposes, and proposed a partnership in which they would share the assets of an enhanced ARC simulator lab.
The new lab will utilize the current ARC system installed at Lakehurst and add a simulator capability, which will allow for the replication of multiple shipboard scenarios.
“Our partnership with CNATT Lakehurst Detachment in developing an enhanced ARC lab is exactly the type of speed to the fleet mentality we are championing. This new government-owned capability will save money, increase efficiency and improve our ability to get back to the fleet with an answer faster,” said Kathleen P. Donnelly, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Support Equipment (SE) and ALRE department director.
CNATT Detachment Lakehurst is responsible for providing ALRE technical training to the fleet, and currently teaches seven advanced courses to approximately 300 students annually.
“It’s a win-win for everyone. They get to recreate any scenarios that happen in the fleet and try to see the possible cause. For us, we have a brand new trainer that allows us to train our Sailors so there is no way to go wrong,” said Lt. Alex Diaz, CNATT Detachment Lakehurst officer in charge.
CNATT Lakehurst is introducing a new ARC curriculum and will use the simulator to supplement the new training, said Lt. Matthew McCauley, CNATT Detachment Lakehurst training officer.
“There’s a lot of things in the fleet that we may not be able to recreate, as far as emergency procedures,” said McCauley. “Here we’ll actually be able to get hands-on practice with conducting emergency procedures on the ARC system. Whereas in the fleet that may be something we can only discuss, here they can actually put hands on it.”
“We’re looking forward to having the capability as a training command, to have new curriculum and the trainer to support that curriculum and provide a higher quality training to the fleet,” said Diaz.