LEXINGTON, Mass., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company said today
that it takes issue with the interpretation of a Government Accounting Office
(GAO) report that "major flaws" exist in the Standard Terminal Automation
Replacement System (STARS), which is scheduled to be deployed in Philadelphia.
The Full Service STARS software, intended for the national rollout starting in
Philadelphia in November, has been subject to extensive testing over the past
two years by both the FAA and Raytheon. This culminated in a three-phase
Operational Test and Evaluation performed by the FAA from February through
August of 2002.  Based on the successful results of all these tests, the STARS
Full Service-2 (FS-2) system was declared operationally suitable by the FAA
test team earlier this month.
    Raytheon has been in the business of developing and delivering air traffic
control systems for more than 50 years. The company systems provide safe
orderly and expeditious air traffic services in Germany, Norway, the
Netherlands, Canada, China and the United States.  Raytheon is not in the
business of delivering unsafe systems.
    The STARS test program is designed to identify specific user requested
modifications to either correct areas not meeting the specification or add new
user requested desires.  This is done through a rigorous formal process of
program trouble reports (PTRs).  This process identifies the severity of the
PTR, coordinates the "fix" needed to address the PTR, ensures the validation
of the solution to the PTR and manages the implementation of the PTR into the
system baseline.  When an incident is identified, it is first evaluated
according to its severity as Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, or Type 4.  Type 1 and 2
PTRs are considered mission-essential and must be corrected prior to
deployment.   There are currently no outstanding Type 1 PTRs in the FS-2
software, and there is a plan in place to clear the remaining 18 Type 2 PTRs
by the end of September.  This is not atypical for a test program of a large
complex, software intensive system.
    The STARS test program has been long and rigorous.  The system has been
subjected to extensive repetitive testing to ensure that it meets the design
and safety criteria set forth by the FAA. As such it will be the most tested
system that the FAA has ever deployed.
    The GAO report correctly points out that the FAA must complete the
requisite training for both the Air Traffic Controllers and the Maintenance
Technicians prior to deployment in Philadelphia.  The FAA has a plan to do
this and has successfully accomplished this training at the nine Early Display
Configuration sites that have been deployed to date.  As with any introduction
of new technology, the FAA's training and familiarization programs for Full
STARS must be synchronized with the National rollout plan.
    STARS is designed to provide the backbone of the FAA and DoD terminal area
modernization program.  It is based on proven in-service air traffic
automation products that control air traffic safely and efficiently everyday.
In fact, a version of the full STARS system has been controlling live air
traffic for both civil and military aircraft in the Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., area since June 2000 without incident.
    An Early Display Configuration (EDC) version of STARS was developed,
tested and deployed to a limited number of locations (13 in total) to reduce
risk through early testing and operational use of the STARS controller
interface.  The EDC rollout is proceeding on or ahead of schedule with EDC
systems operational in El Paso, Syracuse, Hartford, Memphis, Albany, Detroit,
Birmingham, Albuquerque, and Providence.
    Raytheon is fully committed to continue to work with the FAA and its labor
unions to continue the deployment of the STARS system throughout the National
Airspace System.
    With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is a
global technology leader in defense, government and commercial electronics,
and business and special mission aircraft.

     Contact:
     Blanche Necessary
     202 314 3780

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