Recherche

Shawnee, KS, October 1, 2007 - Thales announced today the award of a contract from ITT Corporation to support the Federal Aviation Administration's Automatic Dependant Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) system.  On August 30, 2007 a team led by ITT received the FAA's award for the ADS-B contract, a major milestone in the FAA's plans for a comprehensive modernization of the U.S. air traffic management system.

The period of performance for the initial contract is three years, with a contract value of up to $40 million depending upon options exercised. Under the contract, Thales will be responsible for the supply and life-cycle support of ADS-B radios for the ITT team. The contract has a potential value with all options exercised of up to $140 million.

"On behalf of the thousands of dedicated Thales employees here in the U.S., we are proud to be selected by ITT and the FAA for this prestigious program," stated Allan Cameron, Chairman and CEO of Thales North America. "Today's announcement is the result of years of investment in research that is now providing customers worldwide with proven technologies that make the skies safer and the aviation system more efficient."

The FAA ADS-B contract specification includes a dual-link transceiver, containing both 1090 MHz and UAT datalink capabilities. Thales has developed a modular ADS-B platform with the capability to provide ADS-B reception and various broadcast services for all en route, terminal or surface applications.

Thales North America's work on the FAA ADS-B program will be led out of the company's Shawnee, Kansas facility.  "Thales's long history of success in developing and deploying national airspace system infrastructure will serve the FAA and the ITT team well as we begin implementation of the ADS-B system," stated Wayne Dohlman, President of Thales North America's Air Traffic Management business.  "We are confident that our legacy in the U.S. air traffic management domain will provide immediate and long-term value on the ADS-B program."

Thales has been a leader in the development of ADS-B systems including the implementation of the first country-wide ADS-B system for Airservices Australia in 2004. Thales was also awarded a contract by EUROCONTROL in 2005 for deployment of ADS-B systems in Europe including the first multi-channel ADS-B system.

Editors Note: ADS-B is an emerging technology that allows aircraft to periodically broadcast GPS position, altitude, speed and identity information.  The broadcast information may be received and processed by other aircraft or ground stations for use in improved situational awareness, conflict avoidance and airspace management.

About Thales North America
Thales North America, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, maintains fifteen primary U.S. locations and employees nearly 3000 people in ten states.  Sales across Thales operations in the U.S. exceed $1 billion (USD), to a range of customers including U.S. and overseas militaries, civilian agencies and commercial customers.  Thales customers in the U.S. operate within naval, land systems, aviation, security and space domains.  Thales North America is the U.S. operation of the Thales Group, which employs 68,000 people in 50 countries and has forecast 2007 revenues in excess of $15.8 billion.

Information about Thales ATM can be found at http://www.thalesonline.com/airsystems.