ANS Finland selects Rohde & Schwarz to modernize its ATC voice communications system

Air Navigation Services Finland Oy (ANS Finland) provides en-route, aerodrome control and approach control services for 22 airports in Finland, keeping Finnish airspace safe and controlling air route traffic between different airports. ANS Finland recently awarded Rohde & Schwarz a contract to provide Helsinki Area Traffic Control Centre (ATCC) with the reliable, future-proof and cost-effective R&S VCS-4G voice communications system

The systems for ANS Finland consists of 97 Controller Working Positions (CWP) for operation in the area control center (main and contingency), as well as approach and tower positions in Helsinki. The system will be operating with more than 300 R&S Series4200 Voice over IP (VoIP) radios, already installed country wide to provide voice communication services. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz will provide R&S VCS-4G systems for Avia College – Aviation Training Center, with a total of 80 CWPs in the Simulator & Training VCS plus three additional CWPs in the Test & Validation System.

R&S VCS-4G will be deployed in a quad-redundant decentralized architecture, separated into main and contingency environments, providing Virtual Center capabilities with other ANSPs in the region. In the future, this makes it possible for air traffic controllers at a control center to fully or partially take over the duties of another center for ground‑to‑air and ground‑to‑ground communications, thereby reducing both investment and operating costs and taking workload off the controllers’ shoulders.

“We expect the project to proceed efficiently due to Rohde & Schwarz’ proven reputation for providing voice communication systems,” Osmo Nieminen, System Manager at ANS Finland explains. “We are pleased to have such an experienced partner as Rohde & Schwarz in this critical project."

“Rohde & Schwarz is proud to deploy the latest voice communications technology in Finnish airspace. Our aim is to provide ANS Finland with a cost-efficient solution that allows the customer to continue their operations safely and reliably, while preparing to meet future challenges,” Alexandru Negulescu, Managing Director at Rohde & Schwarz Topex, explains.

R&S VCS-4G is a full IP solution, with more than 280 systems contracted in 60 countries worldwide, including airports, area control centers, virtual centers, remote towers, offshore drilling sites, mobile towers and shelters. With the technology implementing the ED-137 standard to the core of the system and not just to periphery components, it is the world’s first and most widely deployed full IP VCS system.