Air Force defends Raytheon system

The Air Force says a new Raytheon Co. airplane tracking system is a big improvement over older equipment, despite a Pentagon test report that said the system is difficult to use.

The Pentagon needs the new system to track enemy aircraft and hijacked planes, Air Force officials said last week. Older systems, designed to watch for invading Soviet bombers, don't allow military controllers to take advantage of civilian air traffic control data. This made it tough for the military to track hijacked passenger jets on Sept. 11, 2001.

To fill this gap, the Air Force fielded a short-term fix and also started work on a longer-term solution. The transition has been bumpy: Pentagon testers said commanders who used the interim system don't want to give it up.

Air Force Major Mark Pearson, a program manager, says the interim system isn't as effective as the new system will be. But he acknowledged there are operating differences that make it hard for users to adjust. To address this problem, improvements are in the works, he said.

The new system is called Battle Control System-Fixed and is made by Waltham-based Raytheon through its partnership with Thales SA. This program's first two stages, which already have been developed, cost about $60 million. A $50 million upgrade is scheduled for next year.
(Dow Jones)