SAN JOSE, Calif., 29 Dec. 2007. Adobe Systems Inc. revealed that the E-3A department of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, plans to adopt Adobe Flex software and Adobe LiveCycle Data Services ES for its new Mission Support System (MSS). The system will help improve NATO's operational readiness, by reducing the time to prepare for missions, and improve the delivery of information to flight crew members.

Adobe Flex technology is an open-source development framework for fast, end-to-end development of rich Internet applications (RIA) that run identically on all major browsers and operating systems. Applications developed with Flex provide a more visual and interactive user experience, helping users to more quickly and easily assimilate information.

By delivering the new system as an RIA, NATO crew members will be able to put together mission briefs aggregated from more than 80 different data sources, including information such as flight numbers, details about the region, and routes to take refuge in case of an emergency. Mission briefs are electronic maps that show all the information they need to analyze, develop, and deliver in preparation for a mission.

"We are always looking for ways to improve our efficiency, but only invest in technology that has proven to be reliable," says Steve Lusardi and Gerry Van Tol, project officers for NATO. "Adobe Flex is accepted worldwide and provides us with a new opportunity to automate the flight preparation process and save valuable time. It goes without saying that it is crucial for the NATO crew to have access to relevant information. The visual electronic maps present all the information in an intuitive manner which makes the MSS very user-friendly."

The multimillion-dollar agreement consists of software licences, support, and consultancy.