LONDON, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Kingdom's National Air Traffic Services (NATS) today declared its new radar data processing and display system, developed by Lockheed Martin, operational in Prestwick, Scotland, at all civil sectors. The Lockheed Martin SkyLine® system, modified for the Scottish Area Control Centre in Prestwick, began live operations on 11 November.

Part of an ongoing programme of improvements for the Scottish Flight Information Region, the system provides new radar displays for controllers at Prestwick. Covering 137,000 sqm of airspace above Scotland and northern England, the system handles some 10,000 flights a week.

"This new capability will help NATS meet the demands of increasing traffic volumes while enhancing already high levels of safety," commented Jim Craig, Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management (LMATM) vice president for International Programmes. "The architecture of our SkyLine product, currently operational in Korea and Argentina, allowed us to modify the system for NATS' requirements and integrate SkyLine with their existing equipment cost- effectively in less than two years from contract award."

Added Paul Barratt, Lockheed Martin ATM UK programme director, "This is a very significant and cost-effective achievement in the timescale and represents the first deployment of our SkyLine product in western Europe. Lockheed Martin worked with NATS to tailor the system to the Scottish FIR environment. We enjoy a similar working partnership with NATS as the Swanwick ATC system is prepared for operational use early next year. The Scottish system has great scope for enhancement and together with the world's most advanced system at Swanwick will support UK traffic demands well into the next decade."

The new system in Scotland integrates data from 10 different radars with the flight data and makes it available to 56 controller working positions for both civil and military airspace. In an integrated display, controllers can view radar information for each aircraft to help them anticipate air traffic flow, improve flow control functions and increase efficiency of the airspace.

With headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, USA, Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management has four decades' experience in delivering advanced air traffic management solutions to customers worldwide and focuses on systems integration, engineering design, development, test, delivery and support of Communications, Navigation, Surveillance (CNS/ATM) systems. A registered ISO 9001 company, Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management is the system developer for the Display System Replacement, the Host Oceanic Computer System Replacement and the Microprocessor Enroute Automated Radar Tracking System. The company employs approximately 1,300 people at major facilities in Rockville, Maryland, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Eagan, Minnesota, and Southampton, England.

Lockheed Martin UK Ltd. is a leader in systems integration working on major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence, civil and commercial sectors with significant capabilities in the transport infrastructure market. Lockheed Martin UK Ltd. has annual sales of approximately #600 million and enjoys more than 75 significant business partnerships in the UK. Lockheed Martin UK is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation and employs approximately 1,000 employees at over 20 facilities including London, Portsmouth, Havant, Southampton, Yeovil, Swindon, Hertford, Bristol and Cornwall.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, USA, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics and technology services. Lockheed Martin had 2000 sales surpassing $25 billion.

For additional information on Lockheed Martin UK visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk . Media contact: Christopher Trippick, Lockheed Martin UK, Tel: +44-2392-564197; e-mail, Email Contact

For additional information on Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/atm . Media contact: Judy Gan, Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management, Tel: +1-301-240-7277; e-mail, Email Contact