FREQUENTIS awarded first military remote virtual tower contract

DoD has selected Frequentis’ remote virtual tower (RVT) technology. The project will include two fixed-base RVT systems and two deployable systems for use by the Air Force and other DoD agencies.

In the civil domain, RVT solutions have already been tested and put into operation at airports around the world, safely managing instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) operations from remote locations and there is even greater potential to add value in military scenarios. By replacing the “out-of-the-window” view with a visualization system at a remote site, situational awareness is not only increased with enhanced visibility, but military air traffic control (milATC) staff are no longer in harm’s way as they can conduct their duties safely from a remote location.

“The evaluation team chose Frequentis’ remote tower solution based on the company’s global organization and support structure in airspace management and communications.. By enabling the provision of milATC services on demand and remotely, RVT will reduce the risk to controllers and infrastructure, while reducing capital investments and allowing for the optimization of our resources,” said Ed Wright, Executive Director, USAF Flight Standards Agency.

Frequentis is no stranger when it comes to meeting the mission needs of the Department of Defense in the United States. The company has been deploying and supporting Naval ATC for carriers and L-Deck ships over the last seven years. In addition, milATC voice communications systems have been rolled out to Army stage fields over the last three years. This heritage of supporting these organizations in their traditional milATC environments will be enhanced and expanded through the initial launch of these fixed and deployable remote tower installations.

“We are proud to have been selected for this first military remote tower project for the Department of Defense in support of the Air Force, allowing us to support their goals for enhanced safety and mission success. Rapidly deployable virtual towers are critical in meeting the agility requirements today’s warfighter demands. This RVT CONOPS provides military air traffic control, the resilient situational awareness DoD demands while keeping controllers out of harm’s way in secure environments.” said John Wherry, Vice President Defense Solutions.

Frequentis will install two fixed-base systems, one at an Air Force base in Florida and the second location to be determined at a later date.