Boeing and SELEX Sistemi Integrati, S.p.A - a Finmeccanica company- have entered into a collaboration agreement in support of the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program's development phase - the European air traffic modernization program.

Boeing will cooperate with SELEX Sistemi Integrati with research in flight data modeling and data link communications for all phases of flight, and system-wide information management (SWIM) - an internet-like system that enables information-sharing across all stakeholders.

"Boeing's participation as our associate partner will support SESAR towards a globally interoperable air traffic management system," said Stefano Porfiri, SESAR program manager, SELEX Sistemi Integrati.

The agreement follows a Memorandum of Collaboration signed in October 2011 between Boeing and SELEX Sistemi Integrati in which the two companies agreed to cooperate on the SESAR and U.S. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) programs.

"We are applying an industry-leading Boeing portfolio of services and expertise to the SESAR program to further the modernization of the global air traffic system," said Neil Planzer, vice president of Air Traffic Management, Boeing Flight Services.

SELEX Sistemi Integrati is a leading industry supplier of air traffic management and airport systems. They are a member of the SESAR Joint Undertaking and one of the major contributors to the SESAR development phase.

The SESAR program is the operational and technological answer to Europe's air traffic management challenges. Embedded in the European Unions' (EU) ambitious Single European Sky initiative, the aim of SESAR is to ensure the modernization of the European air traffic management system by coordinating and concentrating all relevant research and development efforts in the EU.