Raytheon said it won an $82 million contract for installing the system by 2013. The contract was awarded by the Indian Space Research Organization.

Raytheon will build the ground stations for the GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System, and the Indian Space Research Organization will provide the space segment and additional ground equipment. The system will provide satellite-based navigation for civil aviation over Indian airspace and adjoining areas in South and Southeast Asia.

Although Raytheon did not specify this the countries contiguous to India include China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan and Iran usually fall under the footprint of any airborne systems involving South Asia. The network outlines revealed so far indicate the system could also cover Southeast Asia -- Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand -- and the Indian Ocean region.

"GAGAN will be the world's most advanced air navigation system and further reinforces India's leadership in the forefront of air navigation," said Andy Zogg, Raytheon Network Centric Systems vice president of command and control systems, using the acronym for the so-called GPS-Aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation System. "Gagan" means "sky" in Hindi, India's main language.

Zogg added, "GAGAN will greatly improve safety, reduce congestion and enhance communications to meet India's growing air traffic management needs."

Raytheon is an active player in innovative designs for air traffic management. The company offers a broad range of automation and surveillance systems in use in more than 50 countries around the world. Raytheon said "GAGAN" will be the newest addition to its air traffic portfolio.

Raytheon says it is the only company that has delivered satellite-based augmentation systems that have been certified for safety-of-flight operations. The company developed the Federal Aviation Administration's "Wide Area Augmentation System" and was engaged in the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau's "Multi-Function Transport Satellite Augmentation System."

"Our GAGAN solution addresses the four essential elements of safe air navigation: accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity," said Fritz Treyz, Raytheon network centric systems director of business development, who led the Raytheon team pursuing the contract. A.S. Ganeshan, director of the project at the Indian Space Research Organization Satellite Center, led the Indian team.

Raytheon reported sales of $23.2 billion in 2008 and employs 73,000 people worldwide. The company began operations 87 years ago and specializes in defense, homeland security and other government markets worldwide that involve the use of electronics, communications, mission control and intelligence systems.

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