CAE chief executive Derek Burney has urged the US military not to exclude specialist players and foreign companies when awarding trainers and simulator contracts.
Burney, the keynote speaker, said smaller "niche" companies and overseas manufacturers routinely miss out because management of major training programmes is usually assigned to the prime contractor producing the weapon system.
"Niche players need the oxygen of being part of the supply chain," said Burney, who worries that innovation and specialist technology will be stifled, leaving the military with substandard training systems.
Burney added that the US military should also more often use the products of allied force country manufacturers and encouraged the USA to look to the UK privately funded initiative model.
Source: Flight International
