VISTA - A San Diego defense contractor that ranks 298th on the Fortune 500 is setting up shop in the Vista business park where it will develop cargo-inspection technology for the nation's ports and borders, according to documents filed with the city.

Science Applications International Corp. - often known as SAIC - will test and manufacture security tools, such as X-ray scanners and radiation detectors, in the now-vacant industrial building at 2985 Scott St. and the adjacent facilities yard, according to an application submitted to the city's planning department earlier this year.

While the company has made no official announcement of its plans, its Web site lists the Vista building as one of its locations.

Responding to a reporter's inquiries about the site, an SAIC spokesman said Wednesday that it will house the company's Security and Transportation Technology Business Unit. Three of the contractor's San Diego-area facilities will be consolidated into the Vista facility, which is slated to open Oct. 1, the spokesman said.

More than 200 people will be employed there in management, engineering, assembly and customer-support positions, the spokesman said.

Founded in 1969, Science Applications International Corp. now has more than 44,000 employees and brings in about $8 billion in annual revenue. The employee-owned company went public last year.

Much of the contractor's work involves sensitive national security matters. In fiscal year 2006, the company reported that the U.S. government - especially the military - accounted for 89 percent of its total revenue.

Last month, SAIC announced that it had won a U.S. Air Force contract valued at as much as $250 million for studies and analyses, as well as management, professional, technical and engineering services.

Vista isn't known as a hub for defense contractors. Kevin Ham, the city's economic development director, said the arrival of such a high-profile business would be a coup for the city and for the 1,600-acre business park, where the vacancy rate fluctuates between 7 percent and 9 percent.

"It's a good example of the types of business that we want to continue to attract," Ham said.

Earlier this year, SAIC leased the 120,221-square-foot building for 62 months, according to a second-quarter analysis of market trends by Grubb & Ellis, the real estate firm that represented the landlord in the transaction.

The glass and concrete building has been vacant for more than a year. Previously, it was home to medical device maker dj Orthopedics (now DJO Inc.), which relocated across the street.

Jim Baumann, chief executive of the Vista Chamber of Commerce, said the defense contractor's interest was "indicative of the future of the business park," which is seeing its tenants evolve beyond just warehouses.

"It's great for the community to bring in a company of that stature and jobs in that pay range," Baumann said. "You can't dream of anything better than that."

On Wednesday, the company's shares dipped about 2.5 percent, with the stock closing at $17.73.

- Contact staff writer Craig TenBroeck at (760) 901-4062 or ctenbroeck@nctimes.com.