Thales Helps Secure Air Traffic in Afghanistan

October 01, 2014

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On 8 August, Thales and the ACAA completed the System Acceptance  Test and take-over certificate for the Terminal Manoeuvring Area Multilateration System  at Mazar-e-Sharif airport.

This important milestone will see the system deployed alongside a  complete renovation and relocation of the tower equipment into a new  tower, making the Mazar-e-Sharif tower one of the most advanced and  modern in the region.

Performance test results showed the system worked well above the  levels set for aircraft separation requirements, specifically to make  aging aircraft not equipped with modern Mode S transponders visible  to the tower. The system achieved optimised coverage with only a few  ground stations, at altitudes from runway threshold up to minimum  flight levels.

In addition, Thales has also signed a one-year maintenance contract  with the ACAA for the countrywide ADS-B/WAM3  system, which  has been in operation since 2012. The contract includes operation,  maintenance, site leasing and satellite communication services for 29  ground stations distributed all over the Afghan territory.

The MLAT in Mazar-e-Sharif will be integrated into the countrywide  WAM system. The two systems will greatly aid Afghan air traffic control  by delivering tracking data of landing and departing aircraft as well as  helping track aircraft en route to other destinations.

Source : Thales