In a competitive procurement, Rockwell Collins was awarded a multi-year contract by the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base to provide comprehensive systems management and life-cycle support services for the RC-135 Operational Flight Trainer (OFT) and Training System Support Center (TSSC) at Offut Air Force Base, Neb.

The program, which supports aircrew training for one of the U.S. Air Force's most critical Command and Control platforms, is organized under 3 distinct yet integrated work statements which address:

1. Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for systems Operations and Maintenance
2. Training System Support Center (TSSC) initiation and sustainment including concurrency engineering, configuration management, and routine hardware and software life-cycle improvements
3. Major modifications upgrades and technology improvements to the training device.

Modifications performed in the early stages of the program included the modernization of the trainer computational resources and software and the replacement of the Instructor Operator Station (IOS). These modifications were delivered ahead of schedule and with zero performance defects. Aircraft concurrency modifications have included the addition of training capabilities for the Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) system, and the Terminal Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). In August 1999, Rockwell Collins received authorization to begin the design and manufacture of an RC-135R OFT Unit 2 configured for the recent aircraft engine system replacement and the Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) upgrades. The device employs the same technologies used by Rockwell Collins on its FAA Level D certified Full Flight Simulator products, which greatly enhances the training capabilities, fidelity and performance supporting the RC-135 flight crews at Offut Air Force Base.