Troops train on Lockheed Martin's Close Combat Tactical Trainer Reconfigurable Vehicle Simulator.

As troops in Iraq and Afghanistan patrol city streets and countryside, engineers at one of Lockheed Martin's Orlando operations are watching very closely. The company's simulation, training and support unit near the University of Central Florida gathers information from returning troops to upgrade the virtual-reality technology it uses to train military units for combat and rescue missions. It also has developed tools that allow military students to conduct virtual flight training on their personal computers while instructors assess their progress over the internet.

The team is part of the Electronic Systems operation, one of five Lockheed divisions worldwide, several of them represented in Orlando and other parts of Florida. Their work at one of Lockheed Martin's most profitable divisions has helped push the largest U.S. defense contractor to higher-than-expected earnings this year, with third-quarter profit soaring to $629 million from $427 million a year earlier.

Lockheed's technology is spreading to other nations, starting with the company's recent 20-year, multimillion- dollar deal to train Singapore's air force. Lockheed executives say it will also be useful at peacetime during natural disasters and industrial accidents. And it will help attract young engineers at a time when much of the company's seasoned talent is preparing to retire, says Dale Bennett, president of the simulation, training and support business unit.