The June 10, 2007, edition of the Wall Street Journal features an article about Raytheon's innovative approach to the FAA's next-generation air traffic control needs. According to the article, "Unusual FAA Bid Stirs Turbulence," while other competitors are expected to build new systems from scratch, Raytheon's proposal leverages existing technology and infrastructure through partners XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. By using existing commercial communications systems rather than building new ones, the article states, Raytheon's solution could potentially be deployed faster and less expensively.

This modernization program, known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), replaces radar-based air traffic control systems with GPS-based satellite systems. Because it is up to three times more accurate, it would help aircraft increase capacity and safety. A version of the system is currently in use in Alaska, where, according to the WSJ article, it has helped reduce small-plane accidents by 40 percent.

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