TALLINN, Estonia, Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has partnered with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Estonia to pilot a traveler management system that will facilitate more efficient processing of airline passengers.  

Raytheon's Portera™ solution will allow Estonia to become one of the first nations in Europe to pilot an automated risk assessment system that processes both Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data against a set of pre-determined risk criteria. Raytheon is providing technical support to the Republic of Estonia throughout the pilot.

"Combating organized crime is currently in our special focus. This pilot project uses modern technological solutions to strengthen the Estonian external border," said Ken-Marti Vaher, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Estonia. "Through strengthening the Estonian external border, we contribute to ensuring the security of the European Union as a whole."

Given the volume of travelers, finite resources and limited time available for passenger processing, border agencies face significant challenges in identifying potentially risky travelers without delaying legitimate travel and trade. Using WCC's ELISE ID technology, Portera performs watch list checks for rapid risk assessment of passengers entering Estonia via flights from outside the Schengen region.

"Processing international travelers for immigration and other purposes is a complex risk-sorting function. The vast majority of international travel is lawfully conducted, but some travelers present risks for security, illegal immigration, narcotics smuggling and customs revenue evasion," said William Lonchas, director of Traveler Management and International ISR at Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems. "The combination of identifying risks earlier in the travel cycle and performing more effective primary inspections improves the processing time for arriving flights and facilitates international travel."

The collection of pre-departure electronic data on travelers is emerging as the foundation of modern immigration control and border management. This approach is beneficial because electronic travel records can facilitate the implementation of a variety of automated functions, including watch list checks and risk analysis, before passengers arrive.

Portera Gateway accepts PNR and API from carriers and analyzes it as soon as it becomes available, such as when reservations are made or check-in occurs. Also, Portera protects individual privacy by providing the capability to mask personally-identifying data after receipt from the air carrier.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2010 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 89 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter at @raytheon.

Media Contact
Jared Adams
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SOURCE Raytheon Company