Rockwell Collins receives OK to start second phase of C/KC-135 Global Air Traffic Management upgrade

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (July 21, 2003) - The U.S. Air Force has authorized Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) to begin the $32 million second phase of low-rate initial production as part of the C/KC-135 Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) program.

The $55 million Phase 1 initial low-rate production option included delivery and installation of avionics for 50 of the 490 total C/KC-135 tanker/transport aircraft. If fully executed, the GATM program is worth a potential $600 million.

The second phase calls for the building, delivery and installation of 25 additional R-model aircraft ship sets with deliveries beginning in April 2004.

"We are extremely pleased that the Air Force has selected us to continue this program. It confirms that we have successfully provided value, met deadlines and have been on budget,'' said Greg Churchill, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Rockwell Collins Government Systems.

As the prime avionics systems integrator for the U.S. Air Force C/KC-135 GATM program, Rockwell Collins provides technology that prepares aircraft for changing communication/navigation/surveillance and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) requirements as the airspace transitions to Free Flight operation.

Rockwell Collins Flight2 avionics augment and enhance aircraft operational capabilities by providing an open systems architecture that integrates flight operations with navigation and guidance functions and provides growth required for the future. The GATM upgrade allows the KC-135 to have unrestricted access to civil airspace by providing required navigation performance compliance to less than 1.0 nautical mile, controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) and automatic dependent surveillance (ADS).

The Rockwell Collins Flight2 open architecture ensures interface with multiple products, such as weather radar, guidance systems, and flight and situational awareness displays. Cockpit efficiency, safety and ease of use are improved, while the system provides a plug-and-play capability that allows for growth with evolving requirements. Flight2 avionics supporting the GATM program include the CMU-900 for data links, an Ethernet-based processing center, IPC -7010, with flight management capabilities, the SAT-2000 SATCOM radio, the GNLU-955M Multi-Mode Receiver and data link modifications to the ARC-190 HF and ARC-210 V/UHF radios.

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