Thales Breaking News Alert WAC

I am pleased to inform you that on the second day of the World ATM Congress, Thales announced they will supply the new ATC system for the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport; Thales systems now monitors  60% of China’s airspace.

Thales, through its BEST Joint Venture (JV), has been awarded a contract by the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) to supply the main ATC system for the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in China, using Thales TopSky ATC – the world-leading solution for automation systems. BEST, Beijing EasySky Technology Co., is a joint venture between Thales and the Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control Technology & Equipment Development Co. Ltd. The TopSky ATC system will support en-route, approach, and tower control.

Chinese civil aviation is experiencing a high growth rate, with 2014 having witnessed a 9.6% increase in total civil air transport turnover and a 10.3% increase in passengers carried over 2013. This rapid increase challenges flight safety and punctuality and necessitates increased investment in China’s air traffic management infrastructure. This latest BEST contract follows a successful 2014 in which the CAAC ATM Bawarded the JV a contract for backup ATC systems for Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport and Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, both now also using TopSky ATC. Additionally, in 2014 Thales was awarded 13 contracts for primary and secondary surveillance radars to be deployed  in Lanzhou, Xining, Abagaqi, Fangdoushan, Liupanshui, Yufengshan, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Yichang.

Thales has a long history of partnerships with Chinese aerospace industries. The company has been working with the CAAC for over 30 years in which it has deployed 9 air traffic control centres, over 300 Navaids and over 20 radars and ADS-B stations. Thales systems now monitors 60% of China’s airspace. In further support of China’s developing ATM infrastructure, in January 2015, Thales CEO Patrice Caine travelled to China to sign a letter of intent with the CAAC, in the presence of French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, for continued cooperation toward strengthening the safety of China’s airspace through technology sharing and training in air traffic control and avionics.