ATLANTA, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) advanced
weather processing system known as the integrated terminal weather system
(ITWS) for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has achieved initial
operational capability at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport.
This significant event initiates the production deployment of ITWS at
major airports throughout the US. The Atlanta system entered into service on
schedule per the FAA's operational evolution plan. Current FAA plans call for
the installation of 34 ITWS systems to provide coverage for 45 major airports
that experience severe weather conditions.
ITWS provides automated weather information for use by air traffic
controllers and supervisors in airport terminal airspace (60-mile radius).
ITWS provides a real-time terminal airspace weather situation and highly
accurate forecasts of expected weather conditions for 20 minutes in the
future.
ITWS achieves this through fusion of data and information from FAA and
National Weather Service (NWS) sensors, such as the terminal doppler weather
radar, the next generation weather radar (NEXRAD), airport surveillance radar,
low level wind shear alert system, automated weather and surface observing
systems, lightning detection systems, NWS weather models and aircraft via the
meteorological data collection and reporting system. Automated weather
products produced by the ITWS for ATC include wind shear and microburst
detection and predictions, storm cell intensity and direction, lightning
information and detailed data of the winds in the terminal area.
"ITWS will provide improved safety, efficiency and capacity in the
terminal area by presenting a graphical picture of the current and predicted
weather conditions for air traffic controllers in the tower, the terminal
radar approach control facility, and the air route traffic control centers,"
said Bob Eckel, Raytheon's vice president for air traffic management systems.
"The ITWS will not only allow ATC to make more informed decisions but will
also be available to the airline and airport community allowing for ITWS
current situation and predictive information to be used to optimize planning
activities that result in decreased delays and increased fuel savings."
The ITWS system has evolved from more than ten years of research and
development efforts performed by the FAA, MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and
Raytheon. ITWS prototypes are installed and operational at Orlando, Dallas Ft
Worth and Memphis International Airports. First article systems are
operational at Kansas City International and Houston's George H Bush
Intercontinental and William P Hobby Airports.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company is a global
technology leader in defense, government and commercial electronics and
business and special mission aircraft.
Contact:
Blanche Necessary
202 314 3780
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Blanche Necessary of Raytheon Company,
+1-202-314-3780
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