ATAC Selected as Provider of Mission-Representative JTAC Training for Naval TACT Program
Washington, DC — May 1, 2019 — Textron Airborne Solutions, a business of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), today announced its Airborne Tactical Advantage Company subsidiary (ATAC) has been selected as a provider of contracted air services under the U.S. Navy’s Terminal Attack Controller Trainer (TACT) program.
Training provided under the IDIQ contract will be led by ATAC and includes a team comprising Textron Aviation Defense and Valkyrie Defense, LLC’s family of companies. They will deliver contracted live-air training to Forward Air Controllers (FACs), Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), and Forward Air Controllers (Airborne) on ATAC’s L-39 Albatros, Textron Aviation Defense’s Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine light attack and armed reconnaissance aircraft, and Valkyrie’s A-27 Tucanos.
“TACT is a marked increase in both the quality and quantity of JTAC training services demanded by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. ATAC’s world-class team is pleased to provide the most mission-representative JTAC training solutions available,” noted Russ Bartlett, CEO of Textron Airborne Solutions.
“Textron Aviation Defense is proud to be on this air services contract to equip the TACT community with the Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine’s cost-effective, high-performance close air support capability,” said Brett Pierson, vice president of Light Attack Aircraft and Scorpion. “The Navy and Marine Corps flew the AT-6 during the U.S. Air Force Light Attack experiments and are well-acquainted with its unparalleled mission capability and optimized battlespace networking capability.”
“Everyone at Valkyrie Defense’s family of companies is excited to be working with ATAC in providing the best contracted close air support and JTAC training available. We look forward to fulfilling the needs of the U.S. warfighter for years to come with our fleet of aircraft,” added Charlie Keebaugh, CEO of Valkyrie Aero.
ATAC is the global leader of tactical airborne training with a fleet of over 90 aircraft, having pioneered much of what are now contracted air services industry standards with 20 years of operating experience and 57,000 flight hours. For the past 15 years, ATAC has provided a wide range of contracted close air support capabilities to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) JTAC communities across Europe, Continental United States, Hawaii and the Western Pacific region. The only contractor that has operated supersonic fighter aircraft for the DoD, ATAC has helped train crews from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps and regularly operates out of as many as 25 different bases per year.
About Textron Airborne Solutions and ATAC
Textron Airborne Solutions focuses on live military air-to-air, air-to-ship, and air-to-ground training and support services. Within Textron Airborne Solutions is Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), a business that provides tactical flight training and adversary aggressor services for U.S. Navy, Marine
and Air Force pilots. ATAC comprises the world's leading outsourced civilian, tactical airborne training organization and proudly provides the highest quality live training to squadrons, Air Wings, and Battle Groups. For more information visit: www.atacusa.com.
About Textron Aviation Defense
When military customers need airborne solutions for their critical missions, they turn to Textron Aviation Defense. Provider of the world’s leading military flight trainer — the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II — as well as the innovative, multi-mission Beechcraft AT-6 Wolverine and the bold Textron Scorpion jet, this trio of defense aircraft deliver unparalleled low acquisition, operating and training costs, are produced and missionized in America’s Heartland and are backed by the world’s most capable global service network. Visit defense.txtav.com and scorpionjet.com.
About Valkyrie Defense
Valkyrie Defense acquired Pioneer Technologies Corporation/Valkyrie Aero to function as the aviation arm within its family of defense-focused companies. Valkyrie Aero provides top-quality, low-cost Close Air Support (CAS) training solutions for U.S. and Allied Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC). Valkyrie
Aero operates A-27 Tucano aircraft which employ weapons and utilize technology for realistic combat preparation for JTACs. For more information visit: www.valkyrieaero.com.