Istanbul New Airport gets Integrated Tower System

Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with Cengiz Construction to supply a complete integrated air traffic control tower system for Istanbul New Airport, which is currently under construction in Turkey. Cengiz Construction is the leader partner of the IGA consortium, which will continue to improve and operate Istanbul New Airport over the next 25 years.

As part of its Integrated Tower solution, Saab will deliver a complete Advanced – Surface Movement Guidance & Control System (A-SGMCS) which includes aircraft routing and guidance, airfield ground lighting control and monitoring, electronic flight strips, a large array of multilateration sensors, and five SR-3 Surface Movement Radars. This system will provide full coverage for the first phase of the airport construction, which consists of three runways. In later phases, the airport is planned to have six runways and Saab, together with Cengiz Construction, is prepared to expand the A-SMGCS system with additional Saab multilateration sensors and SR-3 radars.

“The New Istanbul Airport is one of the largest airport development projects and it is poised to become one of the busiest hubs in the world. Challenging operations like this are where our systems really stand out,” says Mike Gerry, head of business unit Air Traffic Management within Saab business area Surveillance.

Saab’s Integrated Tower solution will be used by controllers from DHMI, the Turkish air navigation service provider and an already familiar user of Saab’s A-SMGCS at four other Turkish airports.

"We are very excited about the implementation of an Integrated Tower solution including the A-SMGCS functionality which will be the only one in the world of this size and complexity. At Cengiz Construction, we believe Saab is the right partner and we are looking forward to working together, ” indicated by Mr Ugur Cengiz, member of Executive Committee of IGA and Head of Aviation at Cengiz Construction.

Saab’s Integrated Tower is a flexible, scalable solution for providing tower and approach controllers with a comprehensive set of automation tools to manage operations safely and efficiently. It comprises air and ground surveillance and safety nets, integrates flight data, manages controller workflows, and integrates various types of environmental systems such as weather or airfield lighting into a standardised working position.

Saab’s expertise within Air Traffic Management spans from surveillance sensors, Air Traffic Control automation, collaborative decision-making, and digital towers. Saab’s solutions are trusted by air navigation service providers, airports and airlines across six continents and in more than 100 locations across 45 countries. As a global leading partner and complete provider of proven ATM solutions, Saab transforms operations, turning innovative ideas into reality and supporting stakeholders from solution conception through to long-term support.