NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen goes live with Digital Tower from Saab

The first digital air traffic control tower is now live and in operation at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Germany. The base is equipped with a state-of-the-art Saab r-TWR system.

Saab’s r-TWR is the first military digital tower solution fully operational in NATO and is certified by the the German Military Aviation Authority (LufABw).

NATO’s main operation base for its Boeing E-3A airborne early warning and control system fleet in Geilenkirchen, Germany will be using the Saab r-TWR in all weather conditions. The solution will service a complex military airbase with aircraft types ranging from fighter jets to helicopters.

“This is an important milestone for Saab going operational with the digital air traffic solution within the military domain. The digital tower provides a flexible and scalable solution that is proven to be suitable for military airbases as well as civilian airports of all sizes,“ says Per Ahl, CEO of Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions (SDATS).

The digital tower technology allows the airbase to be flexible and take advantage of the latest air traffic control technologies. The solution consists of a well-proven system operated from a control room at the airbase. This includes sound reproduction, high-definition cameras mounted on the mast to capture a 360-degree view of the airfield and pan-tilt-zoom cameras.