MUMBAI, India. Officials in the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which owns and maintains 129 airports in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets, which is expected to double in size over the next 10 years, are modernizing India’s air traffic management (ATM) communications infrastructure and support. They have selected Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) in Melbourne, Florida, as the prime contractor and systems integrator for AAI’s Futuristic Telecommunications Infrastructure initiative.
Harris won a 15-year, Rs 944 Crore ($141 million) contract to upgrade network operations, enhance security, and improve the performance, reliability, and quality of India’s air traffic management network, while reducing telecommunications costs.
“The new secure, purpose-built network will meet the demands of India’s rapid aviation growth and lay the foundation for future ATM opportunities for Harris in other geographies with high air traffic growth,” says Rick Simonian, vice president and general manager, Mission Networks, Harris Electronic Systems.
India’s domestic civil aviation market has experienced an 18 percent increase in passenger traffic in the past year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The region handles more than 190 million passengers, which is expected to double to 337 million domestic and 84 million international passengers over the next decade.
“India’s exponential air traffic growth is creating demand for new aircraft, air navigation technologies, airport security equipment and infrastructure,” says Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, AAI chairman. “The Futuristic Telecommunications Infrastructure provides a dedicated nationwide network to support air traffic management operations, with an emphasis on safety and high reliability and the ability to expand for growth.”
Harris will leverage its expertise from creating and managing the successful Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) managed services network, which securely connects more than 4,400 national and international FAA and Department of Defense facilities, and enables the FAA to achieve its mission for safe and efficient air travel of more than 87,000 aircraft each day.
Harris is a leading ATM technology innovator for the FAA and a global provider of ATM systems that meet the demands of the next generation of air travel around the world.
“AAI’s selection of our FAA-proven managed network services model allows the agency to benefit from the most current telecommunications technology, enhanced safety and efficiency, and reduced operational costs,” Simonian adds.
India is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets, handling hundreds of millions of passengers a year. With increased demand there is a need for secure infrastructure and regional connectivity.
The Futuristic Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) of India will serve as a communications gateway for air traffic operations across all Indian airspace. Together with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Harris will migrate hundreds of telecommunications services onto the network to help accomplish their core mission: providing safety and promoting economic growth within the region.
FTI India systems integration includes:
- Equipment modernization
- Network centers
- Security operations
- Satellite gateways for remote locations
- Air traffic systems
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Harris Corporation will work in partnership to deliver FTI India. With a dedicated field workforce and 24/7 support, the system will be operated and maintained constantly. This allows for immediate response to potential outages and regular service that ensures network strength and reliability.
Delivering new technologies for one of the busiest air traffic regions in the world
FTI India will serve as the network backbone for Indian airspace, allowing more scalable technologies to be built on top of the infrastructure such as System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and other air traffic optimization solutions. This enables AAI to meet the growing demands of air traffic within India, as well as Asia-Pacific region.
Harris Corporation supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems and Space and Intelligence Systems.
