Harris - Mission-Critical Aviation Communications Systems

When the public depends on the FAA for safe and efficient air travel, the FAA depends on Harris Corporation. Harris is an FAA partner for communications, network infrastructure, aviation weather and flight-service solutions.

As a trusted partner to the global air-traffic control community for over two decades, Harris has successfully designed, developed, integrated and installed systems and services for the FAA's National Airspace System (NAS) in support of critical air-traffic control operations and administrative functions.

Mission-critical air-traffic control systems

Harris has engineered some of the world's most reliable mission-critical systems and is fully committed to the modernization of worldwide communication systems. From system design to installation and training, Harris provides comprehensive turnkey solutions, from small, mobile towers and command shelters, to the world's largest area control centers (ACCs) and networked systems.

Satellite-based air-traffic control program

Harris added to its network systems with the Alaska NAS interfacility communications system (ANICS), the first satellite-based air-traffic control program providing voice and data communications throughout Alaska.

Aviation telecommunications infrastructure program

The FAA telecommunications infrastructure (FTI) program provides an enterprise network offering landline, satellite and microwave technologies for 25,000 telecommunication services connecting 4,000 facilities for operational and administrative functions.

FTI is the first government network to be certified to post-9/11 security requirements. Its enterprise architecture includes 24/7 network and security operations control centres and an operations-support system for network and business management to ensure excellent performance.

Harris provides the FAA with a secure, efficient network, and cost-effective telecommunication and managed network services to support all FAA operations and mission-support activities. FTI is expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars over the life of the program.

Ground-to-ground (G/G) communications hybrid switching system

Flight Services for the 21st Century (FS21) is a hybrid switching system that uses TDM for air-to-ground (A/G) and VoIP for G/G communications. FS21 is made up of 20 individual sites connected to the FTI network. The network allows a controller to connect to any other controller regardless of geographical location, thus creating one virtual switch. FS21 allows for asset sharing, alternate routing and remote diagnostics.

Harris is an industry leader in developing and integrating assured communications solutions to support our customers' mission-critical operations. Our acquisition of SolaCom, to form Harris/SolaCom ATC Solutions, extends our communications capabilities with systems deployed worldwide.

A/G and G/G voice communications systems

Without exception, our voice switching and control system (VSCS), VSCS training and backup switch (VTABS), Liberty-STAR voice communication system, and integrated radio equipment and network adaptor (IRENA) have been stellar FAA systems, providing highly reliable, en route A/G and G/G voice communications for the last decade.

Air-traffic controller / pilot data-communications program

The FAA's data communications program will enable air-traffic controllers and pilots to communicate much more. For the data communications network service (DCNS) program Harris offers complete end-to-end data communications solutions based on our ground network system integration expertise and decades of A/G data link experience.

Aviation weather systems

Harris has a proven track-record spanning 21 years for developing and maintaining weather systems for the FAA, including the weather and radar processor (WARP), WARP maintenance and sustainment services (WMSS), meteorologist weather processor (MWP) and the MWP extension.

Automated processing and display system for weather radar data

WARP is an automated processing and display system that acquires, processes and disseminates WSR-88D weather radar data to air-traffic personnel at 21 air route traffic control centers (ARTCCs) and the air traffic control system command center (ATCSCC).

Low-altitude airspace management system

Harris also offers an innovative low-altitude airspace management system for emergency and disaster response scenarios. The emergency management operations and control system (EMOCS) provides a total solution of communications, navigation, surveillance and weather capabilities for first responders.

We supply civil and military customers alike with installations in over 40 countries. Harris' network-infrastructure systems and services provide the heartbeat for NAS voice and data communication, 24/7, across the nation and around the globe.