By David Hubler
Special to the Washington Post
Monday, June 18, 2007

Raytheon Technical Services of Reston has been selected to head an $11 billion program to consolidate and modernize the Army's worldwide training and support network.

The Warfighter Field Operations Customer Support program, known as FOCUS, aims to train troops to respond rapidly to smaller, localized conflicts and to terrorist groups, replacing the traditional large-scale battlefield scenarios that dominated military training during the Cold War.

Raytheon will be assisted in the 10-year project by Computer Sciences Corp. of El Segundo, Calif., and the Warrior Training Alliance, a coalition of small and mid-size companies specializing in military training technology that was created by RTS and CSC last year.

Planners say FOCUS will create a state-of-the-art, collaborative training environment by consolidating operations, maintenance, systems integration and engineering support services for all Army instructional systems. Training will include computer-generated simulations, hands-on training simulators and game playing.

The program also includes support for all exercises and operations; maintenance for training and range systems; and curriculum development and instruction. The contracting team also will be responsible for management oversight as well as administrative and supply support for government-owned property.

Sixty-four member companies of the WTA, 43 of which are small businesses, will participate as subcontractors. Small-business members also will benefit from collective mentoring from RTS and CSC, Raytheon said. The alliance was selected because of its experience in all facets of Army training.

A. Michael Edwards, WTA vice president and program manager, said the award replaces three existing contracts that are due to expire between 2007 and 2009: a live training program of firing range exercises and maneuvers run by RTS; a simulator training program, which has been directed by CSC; and a constructive training program, using computer models and game-like simulations, which RTS will take over from General Dynamics.

Edwards, who will direct FOCUS, said it involves more than 400 Army sites in the United States and overseas. "I will have an integrated program management staff here in Orlando [Fla.], which will monitor the day-to-day execution of this contract around the world," he said. The start date is Nov. 1.

Until then, he said, RTS's main activity as prime contractor "is to work on consolidating and pulling in the workforce from the other two respective contracts."

Raytheon and CSC have teamed before, for example, on a 17-year relationship at the Air Force Space Command's Eastern Range based at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral, Fla.

RTS, a unit of Raytheon of Waltham, Mass., has 9,000 employees worldwide.

David Hubler is an associate editor with Washington Technology magazine. For information on this and other contracts, go tohttp://www.washingtontechnology.com.