The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a contract to provide an aircrew training system (ATS) for the C-17 that will be delivered to Dover Air Base, Del., for use by Air Mobility Command and Air Force Reserve Command.

The cost of the contract was not provided. To date, Boeing has provided the ATS to nine sites in the continental U.S. and expects to expand that by three more within and outside the 48 states by 2010. The company also provides C-17 training devices to the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

The ATS primarily comprises the Weapon Systems Trainer (WST), which is a full-motion simulator, and the loadmaster station, used by loadmaster students to conduct preflight operations, operate aircraft systems and practice emergency procedures. The WST going to Dover is the 20th delivered to the Air Force.

The new contract also contains an option for another WST that would go to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., if exercised.

“The Charleston WST will be the first Air Force trainer we deliver that has simulated avionics instead of physical aircraft avionics,” said Tracy Mead, Boeing ATS program manager. “We plan to upgrade all of the existing WSTs with this technology, which means that we will be able to return the aircraft avionics to the C-17 aircraft program, allowing it to increase its spares inventory.”