ELKRIDGE, Md., Oct. 6, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced the successful installation and activation of a new, upgraded air traffic control (ATC) voice switch capability at the U.S. Navy's Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE) facility at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., which provides tactical range training and testing services to the U.S. Navy units of the Pacific Fleet.
At the center of SCORE air traffic control operations is Northrop Grumman's 44 position Nodal Switch Internet Protocol ATC system which maintains reliable voice communications between range operators, pilots, additional facility operators and emergency responders.
"Our Nodal Switch IP ATC System coordinates and controls the most critical part of air operations for the safety, security and success of each mission," said John Jadik, vice president of Communications, Intelligence and Networking Solutions for Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division. "The system is mature, inherently flexible and based on a fully distributed internet protocol architecture making SCORE operations a good fit for our Nodal Switch IP ATC System."
The extensive SCORE system, similar in size to a large Federal Aviation Administration terminal approach control, hosts 44 operators, interfaces with over 70 different types of radios including radio control and provides telephone and radio interoperability with the base's Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone system.
The Northrop Grumman Nodal Switch IP ATC System, through a low risk migration and upgrade path, replaces the existing Northrop Grumman voice switch product used by SCORE since 1995.
The mission of SCORE is to improve the combat readiness of Pacific Fleet air, surface and submarine units in all warfare areas providing instrumented operating areas and associated facilities to support training exercises. SCORE presently manages and operates 27 training range sites within the scope of Naval Air Station North Island, and five on the San Diego mainland. All air warfare exercises, command and control exercises and inter-site communications are the responsibility of SCORE, which has single operational authority over all island ranges.
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 www.northropgrumman.com for more information.