Senator Capito Tours Leidos Facility Highlighting Federal Investment in West Virginia Tech
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito visited the Leidos Software Center in Morgantown on Wednesday, the tour highlighted the successful shift toward a technology based economy in the region. The facility employs over 300 people, it recently secured a massive contract to update FBI identification systems using artificial intelligence.
Decades of Growth Define Interstate 79 Technology Corridor
Leidos has maintained a presence in North Central West Virginia for three decades, the company was formerly part of SAIC before a corporate split. This growth aligns with the Interstate 79 Technology Park initiative, the project launched in the 1990s to diversify the regional economy. West Virginia has historically struggled with retaining educated residents, many graduates previously left for jobs in Northern Virginia or Maryland. The 30,000 square foot WestRidge facility opened in 2019, it offers modern amenities designed to compete with major tech hubs for top talent.
Facility Secures 128 Million Dollars for FBI System Upgrades
The center now serves as a critical hub for national security operations, it manages the largest biometric repository in the world for the FBI. Leidos secured a 128 million dollar task order in late 2025 to modernize this system, the upgrade involves implementing proprietary Trusted Mission AI frameworks. This technology accelerates secure software coding, it ensures transparency in automated threat detection while maintaining strict federal standards.
Site Director Drew Formica led the tour, he noted that approximately 80 percent of the 300 employees are West Virginia natives or local university graduates. The facility supports mission critical software for the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense, these partnerships anchor the local economy. The FBI Next Generation Identification system operates here, it has achieved over 99 percent accuracy for fingerprint identification while integrating facial recognition tools.
Local Graduates Find High Tech Careers at Home
This expansion proves that rural regions can support high level federal contracts, the success provides a roadmap for other Appalachian communities. University partnerships with West Virginia University create a direct pipeline for students, this allows graduates to find high paying careers without leaving the state. Senator Capito emphasized that these developments bridge the gap between federal policy and local economic growth.
Local development plans estimate the potential for up to 2,000 new jobs in the coming years. Leidos continues to integrate generative AI into government systems, the company remains a primary engine for the regional economy.
