U.S. Air Force pilots and sensor operators of unmanned aerial vehicles are to receive training from simulation company CAE.

The USAF contract to CAE USA, a subsidiary of Canada's CAE Inc. is worth about $20 million. Its announcement coincided with word that CAE Inc.'s Australian subsidiary had been contracted to provide flight simulators for Hawk Mk127 flight trainers operated by Australia's air force.

"Upgrading the Hawk aircraft and support systems is key to assuring the ongoing effectiveness of the training capability to prepare our fast jet aircrews for future generations of fighter aircraft," said Daniel Reid, group captain and commanding officer for the Australian air force's Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office. "With increasing dependency on simulation in this environment, it is essential that students are exposed to state-of-the-art simulation from the time they commence flying fast jet aircraft."

CAE, which has its headquarters in Montreal, is a provider of modeling, simulation and training products and services for civil and defense aviation, training about 100,000 crew members every year.

Under the USAF contract, CAE USA will provide comprehensive aircrew training services for MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft. Included will be provide classroom, simulator, and live flying instruction as well as courseware development.

CAE instructional staff will conduct academic as well as live flying instruction at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, Creech AFB in Nevada, March Air Reserve Base in California and Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in New York.

Instruction will be for initial qualification, refresher and recurrent training and Air Force instructor qualification.

"The use of unmanned and remotely piloted aircraft is playing a much more prominent role in military operations, and this requires highly trained and mission-ready aircrews," said Ray Duquette, president and general manager of CAE USA. "We are pleased the U.S. Air Force has recognized CAE USA's aircrew training services expertise and capabilities, and we look forward to supporting the combat readiness for the USAF's Air Combat Command Predator and Reaper aircrews."

The contract has a base performance period of one year with four one-year options.

CAE's contract for the Australian air force simulators was awarded by BAE Systems, maker of the Mk127 jet trainers, as part of an upgrade and training systems support package BAE Systems is providing to Australia.

Three full-mission simulators were ordered, CAE said, and will be delivered to the Australian air force in 2016 and 2017. The value of the contract, however, was not disclosed.

"We are pleased CAE has been selected to support the lead-in fighter aircrew training for the [Australian air force]," said Peter Redman, managing director of CAE Australia Pty Ltd. "The Australian Defense Forces fully understand the benefits of simulation-based training, and the increased use of high-fidelity training devices such as these Hawk simulators will deliver excellent value and enhanced training capabilities."