The U.S. Army competitively awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $114 million, five-year contract to upgrade combat vehicle simulators for soldier training and to expand the training capability for the Marine Corps.

Lockheed Martin will develop and install 13 upgrades for close combat tactical training systems at 19 Army installations. The new technologies will add integrated displays and replicate tactical vehicle capabilities identical to those now entering the field. The enhancements will be fielded starting in February 2013.

In addition to the upgrades for the Army, Lockheed Martin will deliver new training systems to the Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, N.C., providing commonality across services.

“The training systems provide an immersive, safe environment to prepare our military’s men and women for combat, and the upgrades extend capability and service life of the Army’s original investment in the program,” said Jim Weitzel, vice president of training solutions for Lockheed Martin’s Global Training and Logistics business. “For the Marines, we’re able to apply current system development and sustainment as they add this training capacity to maintain readiness in a changing battlespace.”

Engineering work for the training systems will be performed in Orlando, Fla. Since 1992, Lockheed Martin has developed and delivered more than 400 systems to Army installations for realistic training on Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation’s net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.

Source: Lockheed Martin