L-3 Communications to build Navy P-3C trainer

L-3 Communications Inc. has won a $13.3 million follow-on contract from the Navy to build the first P-3C Tactical Operational Readiness Trainer, the company announced today.

L-3 Communications Link Simulation and Training of Arlington, Texas, will provide trainer aircraft that will match the P-3C's interior arrangement and enable Orion crews to practice acquiring information from the aircraft's sensor systems and communicating the technical data to other aircraft or command centers.

Link Simulation and Training, which won a $14.1 million contract in August 2004 to develop the new P-3C trainer design, could see the total program value grow to about $49 million if the Navy exercises options to upgrade four P-3C tactical aircrew coordination trainers to the new configuration.

Within the P-3C trainer, the flight crew can practice simulated missions with the platform's tactical coordinator, navigation and communications, nonacoustic sensor and acoustic sensor stations.

In addition to delivery of the new P-3C trainer to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., the company also will upgrade the base's P-3C tactical aircrew coordination trainers to the newer configuration.

Link also will conduct similar upgrades to P-3C tactical aircrew coordination trainer devices located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.; Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine; and Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay.

The Orion P-3C is capable of conducting both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions.

The initial P-3C trainer will be delivered in August 2006, with conversion of the final P-3C tactical aircrew coordination trainers to the new configuration scheduled for completion in 2007.

L-3 Communications Link Simulation and Training, a provider of systems integration services for training systems and equipment, is part of L-3 Communications of New York. The parent company, which has 38,700 employees and annual sales of $6.8 billion, ranks No. 14 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list, which measures federal contracting revenue.