ADAC awards Thales $36.7 million Abu Dhabi air traffic control tower contract

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Airports Company has announced that Thales, mission-critical information systems for the Aerospace, Defence and Security markets, has been awarded the contract to fit out Abu Dhabi International Airport's new air traffic control centre tower (ATCC).

With the construction of the tower already underway and due for completion in 2009, Thales is expected to start integrating the systems and command centre over the coming year.

The Thales systems will integrate the most advanced ATM automation features needed for world-leading air traffic control as well as airport ground control systems and aeronautical information systems (AIS) and messages switching (AFTN/AMHS).

"With one of the biggest airport infrastructure developments ever conceived taking place in Abu Dhabi, we are thrilled to be part of this history-making enterprise by bringing our technical expertise and know-how into installing the new systems for the airport's new air traffic control centre," said Richard Deakin, Senior Vice President of Thales Air Systems.

The new 109m, 20-storey tower will be situated in between the existing and the new second runway, which went operational on 12 October 2008, and will take over the role as the nerve centre of the new airport development from the existing tower, which stands over Terminal 1.