General Dynamics To Build Training 'Village' near Amman, Jordan

By Nick Wakeman, Special to The Washington Post
Washington Post
November 13, 2006

General Dynamics Corp.'s information technology unit will build an artificial Middle Eastern village near Amman, Jordan, to be used for urban combat training by the U.S. Army and its close allies.

Under a $17 million contract, Falls Church-based General Dynamics will build a village of about 44 buildings, which will have the cinderblock and concrete look typical of the region, said Mark Meudt, company spokesman.

The buildings will simulate homes, apartments, banks, a police station, offices and retail shops, he said. They will be wired with high-tech instruments for day and night video and audio recording. The facility also will include special effects to simulate a battlefield.

Participants will go through combat training exercises and have their performance recorded. The site also will have a theater where after-action results can be presented to trainees immediately following an exercise.

In addition, General Dynamics will build a course at the facility for training in high-speed driving and a simulated airport including an airliner and an air traffic control tower.

The site will serve as the regional hub for urban warfare training of both U.S. and allied forces in the Middle East.

General Dynamics acquired the line of business that builds such training facilities with its acquisition of Anteon International Corp. of Fairfax earlier this year for $2.2 billion. Anteon has built more than 30 training facilities around the world.