LFV opts for the Reliability and Range provided by INDRA 3D Radars to enhance Air Traffic Safety in Sweden

Indra has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish Air Navigation Service Provider Luftfartsverket (LFV) to supply secondary radars and Long-range primary 3D radars, which will enhance air traffic monitoring and safety in the country. The first order envisages business in excess of ten million euros. 

Indra is a globally leading supplier of radars, having deployed more than 300 systems around the world. The deal with LFV sees Indra further drive the introduction of 3D radars in the air traffic management market. Such systems provide additional features (such as altitude data), ensuring optimal safety levels and providing controllers with more complete information. 

Traditionally air traffic control services have been founded on secondary radars that query aircraft and compile the altitude, position, speed and identification information that these provide. This monitoring is supported in some areas by two dimensional (2D) primary surveillance radars, capable of detecting aircraft without their cooperation, meaning the aircraft is not required to relay information. However, such radars are unable to generate information on aircraft’s altitude. 

3D radars, such as those that Indra will provide to LFV, determine altitudes without requiring the aircraft's cooperation. Altitude information significantly helps controllers to keep in-flight aircraft at safe distances from each other, meaning far greater safety assurances in operations management, even when aircraft are not cooperative. These systems harness the L-band frequency to operate even in the worst weather conditions, with longer detection ranges and wider radar coverage. All of which allows more robust flight management, avoiding delays and preventing challenging weather from rendering some routes unusable, and thus causing congestion on alternative routes. 

The introduction of 3D radars in the air traffic management market has been driven by constant growth in the number of aircraft in the skies, as well as the need to detect aircraft in all weather conditions. Indra is a leading company in this technology, having developed cutting-edge systems that have been deployed to numerous countries. The growing use of such systems represents a major business opportunity and competitive advantage for the company. 

The secondary radars that Indra supplies to LFV will also feature the latest technological developments.