Thales modernises Iraq’s air traffic management

Thales, world leader in ATM, signed a contract with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) for the modernisation of Iraqi airspace. Thales will deliver a TopSky-ATC centre in Baghdad, this in addition to the ATC centre equipped in Basrah in 2007. This contract makes Thales’s TopSky-ATC the referenced air traffic control system in Iraq.

Thales will also supply 3 latest generation RSM970S secondary radars to the ICAA, which will complement Iraqi air space coverage. This contract highlights the strength of the partnership being forged between Thales and the ICAA. In their efforts to reconstruct and modernise Iraqi infrastructure in the post war period, the ICAA has been seeking long term partnerships with systems providers capable of delivering both advanced and efficient ATM systems, and the knowhow
necessary to train world class ATC controllers. Thales TopSky-ATC’s technological superiority and training excellence, assures the future proofing of Iraq’s air traffic management.

This contract brings the total number Thales ATM centres and towers in the region to 16. In addition to the radar coverage provided to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Pakistan as well as the navaids which cover the entire region, Thales is the largest ATM provider in the Middle East.


Olivier Achard Global Sales Director for Thales ATM and Captain Nasser Bandar, General Manager of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority at the contact signing ceremony in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Hadi Al Amiri Iraqi Minister of Transportation (pictured). Also present at the ceremony were Captain Saad Al Khafagi, General Manager of Iraqi Airways, Engineer Basim Abdul-Rasool director of the Minister’s office alongside senior officials from the French Embassy to Iraq, Mario Savvidis Thales country director and Eric Chaillot, Regional Sales for Iraq