OneSKY — delivering safer skies for Australia

Airservices Australia has entered the next stage of delivering Australia’s future civil-military air traffic control system, signing the initial contracts for the design and build of the software system.

This is a significant milestone for the OneSKY Australia program that will see Airservices and the Department of Defence deliver the most advanced and integrated air traffic control system in the world.

This follows the joint announcement at Avalon Airshow in February 2015 by Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss and Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews that Thales Australia will work with Airservices and Defence to deliver the new world leading system.

Airservices Chief Executive Officer, Margaret Staib, said that one of the main benefits of the future system is that it will be modular and adaptable.

“The future system will be agile and allow for any future changes in airspace policy, technology advances, or service provision,” Ms Staib said.

“The OneSKY program will deliver a range of benefits to the nation and our customers and enable a new level of world leading operational efficiency and safety, while helping to reduce delays for the travelling public and improve environmental outcomes.”

OneSKY will incorporate the latest global air traffic management concepts from SESAR in Europe and NextGen in the United States as well as meet the requirements for future air traffic control services under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Block Upgrade program.

The OneSKY program is Australia’s new harmonised civil-military air traffic management system replacing both the current systems that have been in operation since the 1990s. These are both approaching end of life and require replacement.

It will also ensure that Airservices and Defence, together, are in a position to manage forecast growth of air traffic movement in Australia of 60 per cent by 2030.

This contract is one of a series of works orders to enable the progression of the program to modernise air traffic management by 2021.