ATAC Reaches 20,000 Flight Hours of US Navy Support

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- ATAC (Airborne Tactical Advantage Company), has surpassed the 20,000 flight hours milestone training U.S. Military forces.  The U.S. leader in outsourced tactical airborne services for 16 years, ATAC provides tactical air services for the U.S. Navy, Marines, and Air Force across a wide variety of threat replication and tactical aircraft training requirements.  ATAC was recently awarded a $43 million follow-on contract from the Navy.

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ATAC operates a fleet of more than 20 tactical jets in over 15 locations world-wide, including the U.S. east and west coasts, Alaska, Hawaii and many locations throughout the western Pacific.  ATAC services are projected to save the DoD more than $90 million in 2010 training costs, and more than $400 million in taxpayer savings over four years.

Training services range from basic air intercept control profiles to advanced, highly integrated dissimilar adversary training.  Specific missions include Navy Fleet Integrated Training, opposition force, aggressor support, target towing, electronic warfare, and large force, multi-national ship and fighter exercises.  In addition to the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines, customers include other Department of Defense and non-DoD agencies and allied FMS customers.

In response to requests from the DoD, ATAC has expanded its program to include Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training.  The DoD is training more JTAC's to meet demand from battlefield commanders; ATAC has trained JTAC's for the Navy, Marines, Air Force around the globe.  ATAC initiated JTAC support services in 2009, and has conducted light-inert and night JTAC training operations.

"Under DoD contract, ATAC's fleet of 16 high-subsonic aircraft, including A-4 Skyhawks and Mk-58 Hunters, and six supersonic F-21 Kfir aircraft, enhance U.S. military training and readiness around the world," said Jeffrey Parker, ATAC's President and CEO.  "The US Navy relies on ATAC for proven and professional readiness training to cost-effectively prepare pilots and crews to meet current and future threats.  We're proud of our people and our program in reaching the 20,000 hour benchmark."

ABOUT ATAC

Since its inception in 1994, ATAC has provided a growing fleet of tactical aircraft and services to the U.S. military in support of missions involving airborne tactical training, threat simulation and research and development. Using a variety of high-performance aircraft, advanced threat tactics and electronic attack equipment, ATAC provides realistic and cost-effective advanced training and testing. ATAC is the only civilian tactical airborne services provider approved to train the Navy's elite at the Navy Fighter Weapons School ("Topgun") and the Navy Strike Air Warfare Center, and also is the only civilian entity approved to fly with and against U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors. The company, headquartered in Newport News, Va., employs approximately 80 people, including many former U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force fighter pilots and ground personnel. To learn more, visit www.atacusa.com.

SOURCE ATAC (Airborne Tactical Advantage Company)