ITT Exelis has been awarded a $42 million contract from the Aireon venture to provide automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data processing and distribution for its satellite-based air traffic surveillance system. Aireon, a joint venture of Iridium Communications and Nav Canada, will provide aircraft position reports to subscribing air navigation service providers (ANSPs) using hosted ADS-B payloads on the Iridium Next constellation of satellites. ITT Exelis (here at Chalet C4) will design and build the data processing and distribution platform and will operate and maintain the system for 15 years from first launch. “We are truly excited to become a core partner in building Aireon’s revolutionary air traffic management capability,” said Pamela Drew, president of Exelis Information Systems. “Our commercial business model, which delivers ground-based air traffic surveillance as a service to the FAA, serves as the foundation for Aireon’s innovative delivery method to ANSPs and airlines worldwide.”