Latest News
[Satellite TODAY Insider 08-28-12] Harris has been awarded a 15-year $291 million contract to develop a communications network that will serve as the cornerstone of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen initiative to enhance the domestic air traffic control system, Harris Corp. announced Aug. 28.
The National Airspace System Voice System (NVS) contract tasks Harris to provide a secure, Internet Protocol-based voice communications network to the FAA that is based on the company’s VCS21 family of commercial off-the-shelf voice communication solutions. Harris will install the NVS system in air traffic control (ATC) facilities across the United States as part of a voice network for critical communications between air traffic controllers, pilots and ground personnel. The company also will provide remote radio equipment and network integration and management services.
Harris Government Communications Systems Vice President of Mission Critical Networks John O’Sullivan said that a key benefit of the VCS21 is that it can operate as a fully networked voice enterprise to enable enhanced capabilities for business continuity planning, asset sharing, and future facilities.
“The Harris VCS21 solution replaces legacy technology with a dynamic, IP-based network that has the flexibility and security to support the FAA’s migration to NextGen,” O’Sullivan said in a statement. “We combined our substantial research and development with COTS technology demonstrated in other demanding applications to ensure the FAA receives a proven solution without associated development costs.”
The VCS21 also will host features of legacy ATC systems onto an IP platform with enhanced management and control capabilities. Harris was contracted in 1992 to supply the FAA with its current Voice Switching Control System (VSCS).
Separately, Harris’ Broadcast Communications business announced it has enhanced its Selenio media convergence platform to feature a new networking module that multiplies connection options for live signal contribution. The company said the purpose of the enhancement is to enable broadcasters and telecom operators to use circuit-switched transport networks to transmit and receive data between two Selenio frames and to maximize flexibility when transmitting content between locations.
“The new module offers direct connection with no bridge device required to a variety of six common global telecom interfaces – DS-3, OC-3, OC-12, E3, STM-1 and STM-4,” Harris Broadcast said in a company statement. “This reduces equipment requirements while ensuring that users can make simple and reliable connections to the most common landline interfaces worldwide – all from a single space- and power-efficient solution. Users can configure these various telecom interfaces to send content over IP or ATM circuit connections to bridge the gap between legacy and IP networks.”
Get the latest Via Satellite news!
Subscribe Now