Mary-Louise Hoffman
A General Dynamics business unit has obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for radio systems designed to help air traffic controllers and aircraft pilots exchange digital voice communications.
General Dynamics C4 Systems said Tuesday that FAA approved theCM-300/350 VHF and UHF radios to replace legacy radios at air traffic control sites across the U.S.
Prior to issuing a certification, the FAA tested and evaluated the technology in ground-to-air operating environments.
“By working closely with the FAA, we were able to take these radios from contract award to the air traffic control tower in just two years which is a significant achievement by the General Dynamics and FAA radio team,” said Chris Marzilli, General Dynamics C4 Systems president.
Deliveries of the software-based radios to FAA locations are scheduled to occur in the fourth quarter of 2014.
FAA awarded the General Dynamics unit a potential 10-year, $363 million contract in April 2012 to update the agency’s ATC radio system under the Next Generation Air-Ground Communications Segment 2 program.
The business produces CM-300/350 radios at a manufacturing facility in Scottsdale, Arizona.
