Raytheon extends air traffic control work for FAA

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- New automated air traffic control systems for safer, more efficient use of U.S. airspace will continue to be installed by Raytheon for the FAA.

Raytheon reports its continued upgrading of 135 air traffic control centers with the Standard Terminal Automation System, or STARS, comes under a Federal Aviation Administration contract modification worth $350 million.

With the extension, all major airports in the United States and more than 90 percent of terminal air space under FAA control will be using the system, which receives and processes reports, weather, and other messages from terminal and other sensors and provides aircraft position information.

Raytheon said STARS replaces several generations and versions of existing terminal automation systems, providing substantial savings in life-cycle costs, and provides additional safety and capacity management features.

"STARS is now operating at 150 FAA and DOD terminal air traffic control facilities and the performance of the system has been exceptional," said Michael Espinola, managing director, Raytheon Air Traffic Systems. "STARS is the foundation for numerous NextGen efforts within the National Air Space."