Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the (a) Typhoon, (b) F-35B, (c) AH-64E Apache, (d) E-7 Wedgetail, (e) Land Ceptor/Sky Sabre SAM system will achieve formal linkage into the Gladiator training system.

Programme Gladiator, the RAF's contribution to the Defence Operational Training Capability (DOTC), will integrate the E-3D Rearcrew Trainer (RCT) from Mar 2022 to provide a transitional capability to E-7A Wedgetail, the Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer (JFST) in spring 2023, the Typhoon Future Synthetic Trainer (TFST) in autumn 2023 and UK F-35B Lightning in 2024.

Following our recent announcement of further investment in Gladiator, work is underway to formalise integration of additional training systems including E-7A Wedgetail, scheduled for spring 2026, as well as Airseeker, Poseidon, Protector, Crowsnest, Guardian and the Maritime Composite Training System (MTCS) over the 2023-2026 timeframe.

While AH-64E Apache and Land Ceptor/Sky Sabre will be computer-generated in the Gladiator Synthetic environment from Initial Operating Capability, there are no funded plans to integrate their respective simulator synthetic training systems; however, options to further expand Gladiator continue to be explored.