SYDNEY, 10 Feb. 2015. Officials at Airservices Australia needed to equip four airports with integrated air traffic tower automation technology. They found their solution at defense and security company Saab, which won a contract effective through 2017 and valued at 130 million SEK (Swedish Krona) with additional future support options.
Under the contract, Saab will supply a suite of modern air traffic control tools to four Australian airports (Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, and Perth). The tower automation system, a fully harmonized suite of air traffic control (ATC) tools, provides air traffic controllers with a common, modern set of key ATC systems and capabilities in a single customizable platform, according to a company spokesperson. The architecture supports virtually any tower position and is scalable to any size tower, from small regional airports to major international hubs.
Saab previously deployed the tower automation system to four other Australian airports during the first phase of Airservices’ National Towers Technology Program. Saab is the prime contractor for the program, with NAV CANADA and Frequentis as suppliers.
“Saab has a long history of deploying air traffic control technologies to Airservices that improve the safety and efficiency of flight. This new contract will extend our partnership and bring an industry-leading air traffic control tower system to four major airports that are experiencing a growth in air traffic,” says Anders Carp, head of Saab’s Traffic Management business unit.
Development and production of systems under the contract will take place in Syracuse, N.Y., (USA) and Australia.
