Harris Corp. has been awarded a 15-year, $291 million contract to provide the National Airspace System Voice System (NVS), a communications network between air traffic controllers, pilots and ground personnel under FAA’s NextGen airspace modernization initiative.
Under the contract, Harris will provide a secure, Internet Protocol-based voice communications network based on its VCS21 family of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) voice communication solutions. NVS will be installed in air traffic control (ATC) facilities across the United States. The VCS21 hosts the features of legacy ATC systems, including the current Harris Voice Switching Control System (VSCS), onto an IP platform with enhanced management and control capabilities. VSCS was awarded to Harris in 1992 and is operational today.
Harris will integrate voice communications systems at ATC facilities nationwide. The company also will provide remote radio equipment and network integration and management services.
"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,” said John O’Sullivan, vice president, Mission Critical Networks, Harris Government Communications Systems. “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.”