RICHMOND, BC, Canada, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company
(NYSE: RTNA; RTNB) has been awarded a contract valued at more than $8.5
million (CDN$12 million) to supply and install two additional Mode-S monopulse
secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) systems for NAV CANADA. NAV CANADA is
Canada's provider of air navigation services. Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL)
in the United Kingdom will supply the Condor Mk2S MSSR systems to Raytheon
Systems Canada Ltd., which will undertake program management and installation
activities.
The new MSSR will add to the network of 41 systems already supplied by
Raytheon as part of Canada's radar modernization program. Orders for two
Condor Mk2S MSSR systems were also awarded in early 2000.
These latest installations will be located at Iqaluit in Nunavit territory
and at LaRonge in Saskatchewan and will be complete in mid 2002.
Once complete, the La Ronge facility's radar coverage will lead to
improved operating efficiencies through simpler airspace control procedures.
The Iqaluit facility will generate substantial service benefits for trans-
North Atlantic traffic, which is currently experiencing high demand for these
routes. Air traffic over Northern Canada is increasing, and these facilities
will help meet the future demands of North Atlantic traffic and pave the way
for polar route ATC operations.
Accessibility to some of the remote locations is very limited and presents
logistical challenges to the Raytheon installation team. Large items have to
be brought through shipping lanes only open during summer months.
Installation itself has to be undertaken during the same short summer season -
mid-winter temperatures in the region fall to minus 40 degrees centigrade.
The two previous Condor Mk2 Mode S MSSR's are in the process of being
commissioned at Yellowknife in Northwest Territories and Kuujjuaq in Quebec.
This is a long-term program that could eventually lead to a network of new
MSSR in Northern Canada.
Mick Reeve, RSL's ATC business executive, said "In the near future Mode-S
will provide additional information to air traffic controllers via data link
directly from the aircraft's flight management system. This contract
reaffirms the leading role that RSL plays in supplying this type of advanced
technology to the world's air traffic control authorities."
Martin Gray, Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. (RSCL) general manager of the
Waterloo facility, stated, "We are delighted that RSCL has been chosen to
support NAV CANADA's ongoing commitment to expand their air navigation service
in northern Canada. The improvement in northern radar coverage will increase
safety and permit a more expeditious flow of air traffic in this important
piece of Canada's airspace."
The two new Mode-S systems are similar to the equipment currently being
supplied by RSL to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for the Beacon
Interrogator 6 (BI-6) program.
Raytheon Systems Limited is the UK-based subsidiary of Raytheon Company.
Raytheon Systems Canada Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company is a global technology
leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, and business and
special mission aircraft.
Note to Editors:
For many years MSSR has been, and continues to be, the key radar sensor
used in air traffic control. It is what is known as a cooperating system.
That is, the aircraft has to carry a "transponder" that is "interrogated" by a
ground station that asks, "who are you"? The aircraft transponder replies with
a unique code and height of the aircraft, which is then subsequently displayed
to the air traffic controller. Due to the increase in air traffic over the
years the 4096 unique codes (which are converted to the aircraft flight number
by the ATC equipment) sometimes get used up, particularly in dense traffic
areas such as Europe and the USA. This has been overcome by the use of Mode-S
("S" means "selective") that permits the MSSR system to selectively address
each aircraft rather than all aircraft as is the case with older systems.
Mode-S includes a data link capability and permits up to 16 million aircraft
identities. Mode-S also overcomes an interference problem known as "garbling"
that corrupts aircraft identity and height information replies.
Contacts:
Adrienne White (Canada)
604-821-5188
Blanche E. Necessary (USA)
202-314-3780
Mike Brown (UK)
+44 (0)20 7569 5517
SOURCE Raytheon
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Adrienne White (Canada), 604-821-5188, or
Blanche E. Necessary (USA), 202-314-3780, or Mike Brown (UK), +44
(0)20 7569 5517, or Mike Brown (UK), +44 (0)20 7569 5517, all of
Raytheon
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