Bidding to Become Big-Time Player in Air Traffic Control

Following through on its "One Team, One Mission" approach, multiple ITT value centers combined forces to compete for a key FAA contract.

If the skies above the United States were a highway, it would be rush hour right now -- with heavy traffic and regular delays. It's not yet gridlock, but with the number of plane passengers expected to double or triple in the next 20 years, that scenario could come to pass as more frequent flyers threaten to overload the current air traffic control system.

To keep pace -- and to keep the skies safe -- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun overhauling its entire airspace system, and very soon, ITT could be a key player in this effort.

Over the past year, an ITT team led by John Kefaliotis put together a proposal for upgrading the U.S. air traffic control surveillance infrastructure. Through this project, ITT would modernize, install and maintain the nationwide system of ground-based radars used to monitor air traffic -- turning these passive sky watchers into advanced radar-radio systems that can also broadcast GPS, weather and air space activity information to pilots.

This type of proposal is exactly why one year ago ITT created a new position in its Defense business -- director of business development for FAA and air traffic control programs -- and named Kefaliotis to fill it.  In his new role, Kefaliotis was able to pull together the products, services and expertise from multiple value centers so that ITT could compete on equal footing against other big-time solutions providers like Lockheed-Martin and Raytheon.

"In the past, we would look at the pieces of a contract and try to win some of them," says Kefaliotis. "This time, we're coming in as the project leader."

The ITT solution features surveillance technologies from Electronic Systems, systems engineering capabilities from Advanced Engineering & Sciences, and field deployment capabilities from Systems Division. It also includes products and services from outside partners, including Thales' surveillance radios, AT&T communications capabilities and WSI aviation weather services.

"It's a strong team, bringing world-class capabilities in all required areas, with very powerful systems integration and operational overlay from ITT," says Kefaliotis.

ITT has proposed an outstanding solution that will deliver the benefits sought by the FAA. First, the surveillance systems will be less expensive to operate than current surveillance systems. Next, an integrated network of broadcast radios means pilots get quicker, more coordinated information which increases air traffic safety.

Finally, the system is the first step toward the FAA's long-term vision of "aircraft self-separation" in which all planes and pilots will have access to air traffic information, so that they can better manage their air space without having to funnel everything through air traffic controllers.

The FAA says that it will choose the company to oversee the $1.8 billion, 15-year contract by July 2007. ITT passed an important test in January 2007 with a sample design of the system for the Northeast U.S. and is currently preparing for the final proposal, due this spring. 

The expected increase in plane passengers over the next 20 years is threatening to overwhelm the current air traffic control system. The ITT proposal is part of the solution.