Raytheon enters final phase of FAA air traffic control system modernization on STARS platform

DULLES, Va., 9 Feb. 2016.Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) won a $135 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contract modification to upgrade air traffic control systems at the final 22 airports to the Standard Terminal Automation System (STARS). STARS platform implementation at these 22 sites will complete the NextGen terminal automation modernization of every major FAA National Air Space facility by December 2019.

STARS provides terminal automation with a single operational baseline, simplifying future NextGen enhancements to maintain safety and bring efficiencies to an increasingly congested national airspace system (NAS).

"Raytheon and the FAA are together providing a safety-critical platform across the U.S. This platform has the processing capacity to allow greatly improved efficiency for the controllers, airlines and flying public," says Michael Espinola, managing director, Raytheon Air Traffic Systems.

STARS, a standard system used by both the FAA and the Department of Defense (DOD), replaces several generations and versions of existing terminal automation systems, providing savings in life-cycle costs. The system brings additional safety and capacity management features to terminal automation in both the commercial and defense sectors.

Air traffic control images courtesy Shutterstock.

Raytheon has more than 65 years of experience in providing global air traffic management technology, products and services to civil and military customers around the world. Raytheon's ATM solutions operate in more than 60 countries and monitor more than 60 percent of the world's airspace, officials say.

Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology provider specializing in defense, civil government, and cybersecurity solutions, including electronics, mission systems integration, capabilities in C5I (command, control, communications, computing, cyber and intelligence), sensing, effects, and mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.