AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
by Aimee Turner
Indra has put into operation two new radar stations in Morocco that will improve surveillance in two areas that are particularly important for the nation’s air traffic.
One is the area surrounding Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca and the other is located in the area of Tangier.
Each of the stations includes an primary radar as well as an S Mode secondary radar, which is the most advanced for identifying aircraft. By combining both, it is possible to detect any movements with maximum precision, even in the most adverse weather conditions.
The Tangier station will reinforce radar surveillance in the straight, which is a transit area for routes that connect Europe and Africa with an expanding traffic volume. The second will improve the service that is provided to one of the nation’s most important airports, while allowing it to continue to grow in the upcoming years.
These improvements are part of the collaboration Indra has maintained with Morocco’s Office National Des Aéroports (ONDA) for more than a decade, with the aim of constantly improving its air traffic management systems.
As a result, Indra has recently delivered two new simulators to strengthen air controller training. These simulators can operate as actual control centres in the event of a contingency. The company has also expanded a third simulator it has installed in 2002. The first simulator is operating in Agadir, and the other two are located at Mohammed V International Airport and the National Air Safety Control Centre, both in Casablanca.
This past year 2011 the company has also put into operation three new ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) stations that improve the nation’s surveillance coverage. The systems are redundant in order to assure availability.
In addition, the company is working on the expansion of Morocco’s VSAT advanced satellite communications network. Indra was responsible for its roll-out and it is now installing new VSAT stations to reinforce it. This system guarantees communications between radar systems, ADS-Bs, control centres, control towers and communication towers.
Indra was also responsible for installing the automated traffic management system that is used to manage all of the country’s air traffic from the Casablanca control centre.
The company holds an important position in the Maghreb region, which is a strategic area due to the infrastructure improvement projects that are in progress and the strong demand that exists for IT systems.
Besides Morocco, where Indra has a head office at Rabat, the company is also working in Maghreb in countries such as Algeria, Libya and Tunisia on technological projects related to fields that range from maritime, air and railway traffic, to digitalising public administrations or improving energy management.
