The Anglo-Italian Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) joint venture has been awarded air traffic control radars contracts in Ecuador, Hong-Kong and Turkey with a joint value of approximately US$34 million.
Taking the countries in the order given, Ecuador's Civil Aviation Authority is acquiring a US$5 million air traffic management (ATM) system for Guayaquil airport which will comprise an AMS ATCR-33S primary radar and a SIR-S Mode S secondary surveillance radar. This package will replace the site's existing radar system and builds on an area control centre turnkey contract Ecuador awarded AMS during 2001.
For its part, the Hong-Kong award (valued at US$6 million) covers the supply of an ATCR-44S long range radar for installation on Mount Parker, from where it will form part of the en-route radar surveillance coverage of aircraft flying in the vicinity of Hong-Kong's Chek Lap Kok international airport. When combined with another long range radar that was installed at Sha Chau during 1998, the new package will facilitate wider area coverage, a reduction in blind zones and better tracking continuity during hand-off between one radar coverage area and another. Prior to this latest contract with Hong-Kong's Civil Aviation Department, AMS had provided an automated air traffic control system for the Territory's Kai Tak airport which was commissioned during 1985.
In the third of the three cited contracts, AMS is supplying Turkey's Civil Aviation authority with six Mode S secondary radars, three medium range ATCR-33S primary radars and a logistical support package in a deal valued at US$23 million. Taken together, these various equipments are to be used to modernise the country's air traffic control system and are to be installed at sites in Ankara, Erzican, Istanbul, Korcik, Milas-Bodrum and Yalova. Looking at the technology involved in greater detail, the ATCR-33S sensor is an S-band (2 to 4 GHz) band sensor that is suitable for both ATM and approach control applications and can be equipped with either a G-33 conventional reflector antenna or an ALE 3 x 5 planar array. The ATCR-44S radar operates in the L-band (1 to 2 GHz) and is suitable for TMA and approach/en-route control applications. It makes use of a solid-state transmitter and can be fitted with either a G-14 conventional reflector antenna or the company's ALE 3 x 5 planar array. For its part, SIR-S is a Mode S capable monopulse secondary surveillance radar that conforms with Eurocontrol POEMS requirements, is fully solid-state and is fitted with an ALE 9 open array antenna.