'Bandits' bank on Bush.(defense industry and George W. Bush's defense policy)(Brief Article)

Federal contractors pin hopes on defense boost

They were the engine that revved the Washington area's tech industry before anyone had even heard of the Internet. Now, the "Beltway bandits" are licking their chops over a Republican administration that wants to overhaul defense spending and build a national missile defense system.

But as the region's federal contractors gear up for a potential boost in military hardware and tech spending, they worry their businesses will get caught up in that scourge of Washington business -- politics. The shift in power on Capitol Hill, as well as lower-than-expected budgets, now may stymie what was expected to be a big boost to Greater Washington's defense contractors.

In the long run, companies like TRW, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and DynCorp -- which combined employ more than …