Northrop Grumman's Electronic Flight Strip System Goes Into Operation at Jersey Airport

LONDON, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) Europe-based air traffic management subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, has delivered radar data processing displays and Electronic Flight Strip (EFS) capabilities for the new air traffic control centre at Jersey Airport, Channel Islands. In December 2010, Jersey Airport's new control tower and approach centre became fully operational.

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems provided the EFS system under a subcontract to the UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS). The EFS system automates the production, distribution and administrative management of flight plan information and other air traffic control data and replaces the paper strip systems previously used by air traffic controllers.

"Our integrated air traffic management system will help controllers meet the demands for increased airspace capacity at Jersey airport," said Eldar Hauge, managing director for Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems Norway. "We are proud of our strong partnership with NATS and delighted that our products were selected for the tower fit-out at Jersey Airport and that they are now in operation."

The EFS also provides data integrity checking, eases the working environment of air traffic controllers and paves the way for the application of advanced features such as Controller Pilot Data Link Communications. The system installed at Jersey exchanges data via standard links with both the enroute centres at Swanwick in the UK and Brest in France, as well as a data link to Guernsey.

"The project faced considerable challenges in delivering EFS for tower, approach and zone facilities in conjunction with moving the Jersey air traffic control centre to a new facility," said Derek Brien, NATS Manager Special Projects for Jersey Airport. "The success of the project is testament to the dedication of the entire project team, specifically both customer and supplier in identifying requirements and solutions throughout the project cycle."

With a 50-year legacy in air traffic management systems ranging from individual airport installations to countrywide, multiple-site turnkey integrated system solutions, Northrop Grumman's state-of-the-art air traffic management systems are operationally controlling air traffic in numerous countries around the world including recent major programmes in: Norway, Brazil, Qatar, Oman, Canada, India, Poland, UAE, U.S. and the U.K., in both civil and military applications.

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, based in Oslo and Horten, Norway, and in Peterborough, U.K., supplies air traffic management systems for air-space operations worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com for more information.