Saab Signs Deal with NATS to Deliver Remote Tower Demonstrator

Saab has been selected by NATS, the United Kingdom’s leading provider of air traffic control services, to install a remote tower demonstrator suite at its Swanwick Control Centre.

The installation will demonstrate the air navigation service provider’s capability to provide remote and digital air traffic control service.

Saab Digital Air Traffic solutions, a joint venture between Saab and LFV was established in June 2016.

Digital air traffic solutions is regarded by many as a break-through in air traffic services and is expected to transform the business with greater flexibility, enhanced security and reduced costs with new business models supporting the stakeholders.

“Digital remote towers are a hugely exciting technological development for our industry,” said Mike Stoller, Director, Airports at NATS. “Delivering airport air traffic services remotely from centralised locations could be transformational for our customers and we are actively exploring a number of potential opportunities. Having this demonstrator facility at Swanwick gives us a compelling shop window in which to highlight our capability and a possible solution that we can offer our airport customers.”

Saab and the Swedish Air Navigation Service Provider, LFV were the first to put remote air traffic control towers into operation in Sweden 2015, now with 6,500 hours of operational experience.

The airports in Örnsköldsvik and in Sundsvall are controlled via the Remote Tower Centre (RTC) in Sundsvall, with Linköping airport in Sweden due to become operational in 2017 as the third remotely controlled airport.

In December 2016 a letter of intent was signed with Scandinavian Mountains Airport AB to provide remote air traffic services to the first airport in the world built without a conventional tower.

Successful test installations have been set up in Australia, the USA, the Netherlands, Norway and Ireland in different types of harsh environments and at various distances.

“This is further evidence that our long-term, systematic work is bearing fruit; this will strengthen our market position internationally,” said Johan Klintberg, CEO of Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions. “Our solid operational experience, together with NATS as a leading provider of air traffic control, is a great combination to transform the business for air traffic services to the next level and into digital solutions.” 

See latest HD Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Saab, Air Traffic, NATS, Solutions.