An innovative design by Parsons Brinckerhoff for a new fast jet training facility at RAF Valley has been agreed as part of a £72million contract between VT Aerospace and Ascent Flight Training Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between VT Support Services and Lockheed Martin. Leading defence services company VT Aerospace, a business unit within VT Support Services, commissioned engineering consultancy Parsons Brinckerhoff to develop full multi-disciplinary designs for an advanced jet training facility at RAF Valley on the isle of Anglesey.

Parsons Brinckerhoff is providing architectural design, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering as well as project management and environmental management services. When finished, the project will provide an operational squadron building, training block and maintenance and storage hanger. The 5,000 square metre training block will house two state-of-the-art aircraft simulators, offices, classrooms, briefing areas and flight operations rooms. A 9,000 square metre forward maintenance hanger, capable of housing 28 new Hawk 128, aircraft will be constructed alongside. Both buildings will be located adjacent to a disused runway at the eastern side of the airfield.

Working with VT in response to the design brief, Parsons Brinckerhoff has developed an energy efficient, low-carbon design, incorporating modular building techniques for off-site construction, a ventilated façade that will offer enhanced acoustic insulation and pollution protection, and low-energy services running through a building monitoring system to ensure energy conservation.

Construction is due to start in September with completion due in 2010. Parsons Brinckerhoff will also be undertaking ongoing construction review as the project progresses.

With sustainability a key focus for the MoD, the design will help achieve targeted reductions on energy consumption and allow for future changes of use, including larger aircraft.

Project Manager Ralph Johnson said: “We are confident our sustainable and flexible building design will allow Ascent to deliver a world-beating training programme for our fighter pilots, offering the same cutting edge facilities in training as they command in the cockpit.

“This is an exciting and challenging project for Parsons Brinckerhoff and one that we are well-placed to deliver, given recent experience with MoD projects at Brize Norton, Lakenheath and on Combined Arms Tactical Training facilities at Warminster and Sennelager in Germany.”

Parsons Brinckerhoff is also assisting with the preparation of tender documents for the main construction programme and is currently evaluating responses received. Once contracts have been awarded, the company will be novated to the main contractor. It will also continue to provide multi-disciplinary advice and support on environmental management and monitoring.

The new facility is part of a wider defence project - the UK Military Flying Training System - replacing and upgrading outdated training aircraft and introducing state of the art ground-based training to considerably improve the training given to UK aircrew. With an estimated programme value of £6 billion, this scheme will fully modernise the current flying training system for the British armed forces over the next 25 years.