General Dynamics tunes in $119 million FAA contract

General Dynamics Corp., Falls Church, Va., won a $119 million contract to provide radios to the Federal Aviation Administration, the company announced Jan. 6.

The contract calls for an initial delivery of 1,000 ultrahigh frequency wavelength radios, valued at $5.9 million. The contract is for 10 years and allows the FAA to buy up to 20,000 radios.

The Decision Systems unit of General Dynamics based in Scottsdale, Ariz., will deliver the radio transmitters and receivers. The CM-300 series of radios will be used by air traffic control centers to contact military aircraft when they are flying in the National Airspace System, since military craft often do not have radios that operate on civilian bands.

As part of the FAA's efforts at modernizing airspace communications, these radios are designed to more efficiently use radio airwaves and to be less susceptible to interference, according to the company. They are also capable of remote maintenance monitoring.

"The improved reliability of these new systems will help the FAA reduce its maintenance and life cycle costs," said John Cole, a vice president and general manager with General Dynamics Decision Systems.