L-3 Communications wins Navy simulator deal

L-3 Communications won a contract worth at least $14.1 million from the Navy to build a simulation device called the P-3C Tactical Operational Readiness Trainer, officials of the New York company announced this week.

The P-3C TORT is the first simulator that will allow the P-3C Orion aircraft's crew to conduct high fidelity, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare training, cutting the number of flight hours required to train crews and extending the life of the aircraft, said John McNellis, president of Link Simulation and Training, the L-3 Communications' division that will perform the work.

The value of the contract will grow to about $49 million if the Navy exercises contract options to upgrade four P-3C Tactical Aircrew Coordination Trainers to the TORT configuration, company officials said.

The initial P-3C TORT will be delivered in August 2006. Converting the final P-3C Tactical Aircrew Coordination Trainer to the new P-3C TORT configuration is scheduled for early 2007, the company said.

The P-3C TORT matches the aircraft's interior and allows Orion crews to practice gathering information from the aircraft's sensor systems and communicating the technical data to other aircraft or command centers.

L-3 Communications will provide the P-3C TORT to naval air stations in Jacksonville, Fla., Whidbey Island, Wash., Brunswick, Maine, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay.

Link Simulation and Training is in Arlington, Texas.