Saab signs Remote Tower contract with the Irish Aviation Authority

Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to deliver a Remote Tower Centre to Dublin Airport and the corresponding remote tower installations at Cork and Shannon Airport. Electronic Flight Strips (EFS) are also included in the order and will be installed at all three airports.

Saab’s Remote Tower solution is the world’s first operational and approved system. The Remote Tower installation at Cork and Shannon will be operated from Dublin Remote Tower Centre and will be a part of the large scale evaluation carried out by SESAR, Single European Sky ATM Research. The Electronic Flight Strips will be installed in the towers at Cork, Shannon and Dublin Airport.

“Implementing Saab’s Remote Tower and Electronic Flight Strips, Irish Aviation Authority takes air traffic control to a new level. Everyday more of our customers discover the benefits of increased capacity and efficiency from Saab’s Tower Systems,” says Anders Carp, head of Saab business unit Traffic Management.

“The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is focused on the implementation of safe, leading-edge and cost-efficient technology for the benefit of our customers and we are very pleased to be involved in this SESAR High Level Demonstration activity during 2015/16. Remote Tower and EFS are cutting edge innovations which fit well with our company philosophy and will further increase the efficiency and safety of our Tower operations,” says Peter Kearney, Director Operations and ATM Strategy at IAA.

Saab has pioneered the development of remote tower systems and technologies in cooperation with air traffic controllers and air navigation service providers. With this contract, Saab consolidates its position as the key remote tower provider in the world and the only company with the system in operation.

The Saab remote tower product suite includes high definition cameras and pan-tilt-zoom cameras, surveillance and meteorological sensors, microphones, signal light guns and other devices for deployment at the airport. Data from these sensors are sent to a Remote Tower Center (RTC) to be displayed in real time. A controller at the RTC has the tools, in addition to live video, to operate the airport in a similar manner as he or she would in a normal Air Traffic Control Tower.
Electronic Flight Strips (EFS) is a system showing onscreen information of the planned air traffic and replaces the traditional system with paper strips in air traffic control towers.