The FAA on Tuesday awarded a $437 million contract to Raytheon to support the agency in training air traffic controllers. According to FAA acting Administrator Robert Sturgell, “This is a performance-based contract that is designed to allow us to train controllers better, faster and cheaper.” The 10-year award to Raytheon will replace separate contracts to support initial training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, in addition to ongoing training in air traffic facilities nationwide. Under the terms of the contract, the FAA said Raytheon will be responsible for helping the agency train controllers from the time they’re hired and throughout their career. This includes conducting resident academy qualification and specialized training, supporting classroom and simulation training in the field, developing and maintaining training materials and providing administrative support for training. The FAA will continue to be responsible for managing the overall training program, recruiting and hiring candidates, conducting performance verification, on-the-job training and credentialing.