Harris Corporation to Supply Afghan Air Force Base with New Air Traffic Control System

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has been selected to help modernize critical air traffic control (ATC) communications at Shindand Air Force Base (AFB), the second busiest U.S. Air Force base in Afghanistan.

Harris will supply its Liberty-STAR™ Voice Communication and Control System (VCCS), a recorder, Crash Alarm System, GPS Time Source and radios for the project. Liberty-STAR™ VCCS features a modular architecture, open-platform software and commercial-off-the-shelf hardware that delivers a reliable, scalable communications solution for ATC towers, airline and area control dispatch, flight service stations, and mobile shelters. The system will be equipped with touch-screen operator positions, radio interfaces, telephone interfaces, and a System Maintenance, Administration and Reconfiguration Terminal (SMART) POSITION™.

The company is teamed with Kuanta Construction Inc., which is handling the civil works and as well as communication integration at the base. Over the years, Shindand AFB has expanded and is currently the second busiest Air Force base in the country. The U.S. Air Force's 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group is based at Shindand supporting NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) training missions.

“Harris has long been a supporter and mission-critical supplier for coalition forces in Afghanistan,” said Carl D’Alessandro, vice president and general manager, Civil Programs, Harris Government Communications Systems. “We look forward to continuing to work with our partners and help establish the nation’s vital military air defence infrastructure.”

“Kuanta Construction wanted to work with Harris because of their quality products, professionalism, expertise and reputation in the field of avionic systems and solutions” said Mustafa Kalyon, airport systems engineer, Kuanta Construction.

Harris has extensive experience developing mission-critical solutions that support civil and military air traffic control operations worldwide, including more than 200 customers in 50 countries. The project will mark Harris’ 5th system in Afghanistan and the first since the company completed a similar upgrade at the Kandahar Airfield in 2010. Harris has supplied communications systems for a wide range of countries in the Middle East region including Iraq, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.