TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – The C/KC-135 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) team, part of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s KC-135 System Program Office (SPO), recently toured the 555 Software Engineering Squadron (SWES) at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
The goal of the tour was to learn more about KC-135 Virtual Maintenance Training (VMT) the SWES uses to train new as well as journeymen mechanics performing repairs on the KC-135 fleet.
The 555 SWES falls under the 76 Software Engineering Group (SWEG). The 76 SWEG’s mission is to provide best value software engineering solutions enabling global airpower.
The C/KC-135 FMS team was able to use the virtual reality (VR) system along with the KC-135 VMT and essentially ‘walk through’ the KC-135 cockpit during the tour.
The team also had an opportunity to watch simulations of the Undergraduate Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Ground base Training System (URT GBTs) and U. S. Navy Air
Vehicle Pilot Virtual Training System (NAVP VTS) that U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air National Guard, U.S, Marine Corp., U.S. Navy and partner nations are using or are planning to use to train pilots and sensor operators for the MQ-04, RQ-04, MQ-09, MQ-25 and RQ-170.
The team then had an opportunity to meet additional members of the 555 SWES who are supporting a project for two of the C/KC-135 FMS partner nations.
After the tour, the KC-135 SPO obtained the VMT software from the 555 SWES to be used within their organization.
“This software will allow our technical experts within the SPO to better respond to our customers, especially our partner nations,” said Col. Michael Kovalchek, KC-135 Division Chief. “We will be able to troubleshoot issues, improve knowledge and retention of the KC-135 configurations, as well as equip new employees with cutting-edge technology made available to us by the 555 SWES.”
Team members from the C/KC-135 FMS team who participated in the 555 SWES tour included Joshua Postlewait, Lead Equipment Specialist, Natalie VanNoy, Lead Logistics Manager, Michael Simmons, Technical Order Manager, Kenny “Bo” Tisdell, French Air and Space Force Equipment Specialist, and Katie Ward, FMS Chief.