Hughes Aircraft and Angkasa Pura II one step away from new air-traffic-control system.

RICHMOND, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 1997--Hughes Information Technology Systems' International Airspace Management Systems (IAMS) unit and Angkasa Pura II, Sokarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia, have together met another major milestone on their way to implementing the FAT 50 (Jakarta Automated Air Traffic Control System) (JAATS).

The FAT 50 system successfully completed its factory acceptance tests on Jan. 27, 1997, at the Hughes facility in Fullerton, Calif., and Wednesday it successfully completed its integrated site acceptance tests (ISAT) at the Jakarta Area Control Centre (ACC). The ISAT was completed one month ahead of schedule.

The successful integration and testing of the Hughes Guardian Flight and Radar Data Processing system and advanced color controller workstations leaves only the Operational Readiness Demonstration (ORD) to be completed before the new system goes operational. The ORD is scheduled to start in June 1997.

FAT 50 is part of an advanced centralized air-traffic-control capability for the Jakarta Flight Information Region and includes the provision of more than 70 workstations/computers, a co-located tower and a remote tower operation 16 kilometers away at the Halim airport.

The new system includes an Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) capability, integrated with the Guardian Flight Data Processing (FDP), bringing APII closer to its stated goal of achieving a fully integrated airspace-management capability.

The JAATS system also provides for a new Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) switch and a new Aeronautical Data Processing System (ADPS). The ADPS provides a fully automated receipt and distribution system for meteorological (MET), Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) and Briefing Office functions for the Jakarta ACC and the International and Domestic Terminals at the Sokarno-Hatta airport.

``The FAT 50 system will be one of the first Guardian systems to become operational. We see this system as a much-needed replacement for Indonesia's existing system and a real showcase for them and IAMS,'' said Grant Rusconi, Hughes program manager for FAT 50.

``One of the keys to the success of the project has been the excellent working relationship between APII and IAMS, and in particular the active participation of APII during the running of the ISAT. APII controllers were an integral part of the test team and have put the FAT 50 system through a very demanding and extensive set of tests.

``This project also afforded IAMS the opportunity to establish partnerships with two Indonesian high-technology companies, PT Elektrindo Nusantara and PT Elektrindodaya Pakarnusa.''

The Indonesian program manager, Risman Nuryadin, said: ``Integrated Site Acceptance Tests were very demanding, and the FAT 50 system has performed to our expectations. We are particularly pleased with the totally integrated Guardian, ADS and ADPS capability.

``This is a significant step in providing APII with a communications, navigation, surveillance/air-traffic-management (CNS/ATM) capability.''

FAT 50 accommodates future traffic, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of 7 percent in Indonesia, and is expandable to meet ongoing requirements for the next 15 years.

Dave Pope, president of IAMS, said: ``The Guardian product line is seen as an ideal solution for other Indonesian air-traffic-control upgrades, such as Ujung Pandang and Medan, that are planned in the near future. As well, IAMS is actively marketing Guardian in Europe and China, where a low-cost total solution is required for their airspace environments.''

Hughes Information Technology Systems, through its International Airspace Management Systems organization, is a world leader in providing large-scale, software-intensive systems. IAMS has produced millions of lines of advanced software code for more than three dozen airspace-management systems used in 24 nations.

IAMS is currently supplying air-traffic-control hardware and software to Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, China, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Russia and the United States.

Hughes Information Technology Systems is a unit of Hughes Aircraft Co., which is a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp. The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.

CONTACT: Hughes Information Technology Systems, Richmond

Paul Austin, 604/279-5615

604/279-5795 (fax)

www.hughes-hits.com