Lockheed Martin , along with The Boeing Company, Computer Sciences Corporation, and Harris Corporation, today announced the formation of an industry alliance to help advance the transformation of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) System Wide Information Management (SWIM) initiative.

The SWIM Alliance(TM), which is led by Lockheed Martin, is being established to help improve the efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). The alliance will test existing technologies to further Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System concepts. By connecting disparate, proprietary systems, the alliance will improve safety, reduce risk, and enhance decision making and operational efficiencies for the NAS, air navigational service providers and other stakeholders.

"By teaming with the FAA," said Sandy Samuel, vice president for Aviation Solutions for Lockheed Martin, "the alliance can ensure delivery of a seamless, interoperable capability and help provide the vital improvements necessary to take air transportation to the next generation."

The alliance's focus is to build a net-centric national airspace based on a service-oriented architecture that will facilitate data sharing.

"As SWIM will define the integration infrastructure tying NAS applications together, the SWIM Alliance is bringing together industry best practices to define information sharing and net-centric operations across aircraft, airline and FAA systems," said Kevin Brown, Boeing vice president and general manager of Advanced Air Traffic Management.

"A critical enabler for our nation's NextGen air transportation system, SWIM will deliver the net-centric solutions that meet aviation's information integration challenges for today, tomorrow and beyond," said Harry Part, vice president of Transportation Solutions for CSC's North American Public Sector business unit.

"The alliance is proactively testing existing technologies to deliver vital improvements," said John O'Sullivan, vice president of FAA Programs for Harris Government Communications Systems. "Through collaboration, the SWIM Alliance members will ensure that FAA SWIM systems and products work together."

Introducing the alliance during the 52nd Annual Air Traffic Control Association Conference and Exposition being held in Washington, D.C., October 28-31, the companies used exhibits in their booths to demonstrate how organizations such as airlines, pilots, air traffic management authorities, homeland security and defense agencies can interact seamlessly and effectively by sharing real time information.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: janet.gottfredsen@lmco.com

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin