Head of the Defence Materiel Organisation’s Helicopter System Rear Admiral Tony Dalton, Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis and CAE site manager Bob Ellis officially cut the ribbon to commission the $30 million machine.

Rear Admiral Dalton then demonstrated the simulator’s capabilities, taking Mrs Sudmalis on a virtual flight around the Shoalhaven, including landing on a ship off Jervis Bay.

The training system is part of the $3.2 billion project that will deliver 24 new Seahawk Romeo naval combat helicopters.

Nine aircraft are already on the ground in Nowra, another is in the US trialling modifications, with the final aircraft due in Australia by the end of 2016.

Nowra aircraft have also started a series of sea trials on HMAS Perth.

Rear Admiral Dalton proudly announced the project was “on scheduled and on budget”.

“This project was initiated in the middle of 2012, so not long in project terms,” he said.

“I was lucky be in the United States in December 2013 when we accepted the first two aircraft and now in March 2015 we are here inside this magnificent facility.”

The complex, which houses the frontline squadron 816 and the training squadron 725 plus the Romeo training centre, is located on the western side of the runways at the Naval Air Station.

Rear Admiral Dalton paid credit to the hardworking team behind the project.

“To have this in place and operating on schedule is testament to all the teams involved and it is a team-based enterprise,” he said.

The simulators are used to train aircrews to fly the aircraft and, later, to operate it tactically.

“This simulator is such a sophisticated device, the realism is amazing,” he said.

“It has gained the highest level of accreditation available, the same as what is required by commercial airliner simulators.

“We can simulate flying, introduce emergencies, change weather conditions, introduce tactics, turn on the radar, the cameras, put sonar in the water, chase ships, chase submarines, fire missiles and torpedoes and do it all inside the training device,” he said.

Romeo crew training has already begun at HMAS Albatross with the capacity to train around 80 students a year, including pilots, aviation warfare officers, sensor operators, and maintenance personnel.

The project has also created more than 100 long-term jobs in the Shoalhaven to support the new aircraft.

The helicopters will enter service later this year, with the training system to eventually including a second full motion flight simulator in 2016.

The Romeos are on track to achieve an initial operational capability at sea by August this year.