An S-Band radar system was launched Wednesday at Hamad International Airport (HIA), which will be used in air traffic control systems to monitor and manage arriving and departing air traffic.
HE the Minister of Transport Jassim Saif Ahmed al-Sulaiti launched the radar system in the presence of Italian ambassador Paolo Toschi, Leonardo Electronics senior V-P Davide Fazio and officials from the Ministry of Transport and Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA).
Established in conjunction with Italian firm Leonardo, the S-Band radar system is equipped with advanced features and provides unparalleled accuracy, and will serve as the backbone of airspace surveillance, enabling swift and precise tracking of aircraft in real time.
By providing essential information to air traffic controllers, pilots and aviation authorities, the radar system will significantly enhance situational awareness and streamline the management of air traffic.
The S-Band radar covers a range of 200 miles and a height of 45,000ft. It is connected to the Long-Rang L-Band radar for smooth air traffic and safe and secure aviation. It updates flight locations every five seconds, helping detect aircraft locations with high accuracy.
Such instant updates also help air controllers prioritise landing and takeoff operations in a fashion that enables the landing and takeoff of three aircraft at the same time, using three tarmacs at HIA and Doha International Airport (DIA), thus increasing the capacity to 100 aircraft per hour. This system is taking effect for the first time in the Middle East, the MoT explained in a statement.
“The launch of this radar and the previous milestones during such a short period of time demonstrate the progress achieved in Qatari air navigation while supporting the build-up of a civil aviation system that is leading and sustainable relying on the best policies and practices and highest global standards in the field,” HE the Minister said.
The aim, he noted, is to enhance the country’s position on the global aviation map to the best levels in terms of efficiency, quality and advancement, thus achieving Qatar National Vision 2030.
He added that the deployment of advanced air navigation systems and technologies has contributed to achieving the strategic goals for keeping pace with the need to increase air traffic capacity as the number of air movements at HIA and DIA, from the start of operations during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 through the end of the championship, reached 26,425 - the equivalent of a landing and a takeoff per minute.
The objective of the new radar system is to provide complete redundancy for the primary and secondary radar data, through state-of-the-art technology, in compliance with the latest national and international standards. It allows controllers to track the position, altitude, speed and heading of aircraft in real time. This information enables controllers to provide separation between aircraft, issue instructions and ensure the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.
Mohamed Faleh al-Hajri, in charge of managing the QCAA, said the launch of the S-Band radar supports the progress of the current stage, complements the development plans in place, and marks a new step towards a more efficient future for civil aviation.
Installing new devices and advanced technologies directly contributes to increasing the capacity and opening additional air routes, and this helps in the smooth flow of air traffic for arriving and departing aircraft, al-Hajri noted.
"In support of our national talent, Qatari engineers and technicians have been trained in the technologies of the S-Band radar system at the manufacturing company in Italy in the first phase. They will have hands-on training at the site of the radar here under the supervision of specialised engineers from Leonardo,” the QCAA official added.
Earlier this week, the Long-Range L-Band radar was launched in the north of Qatar, marking a qualitative addition to air navigation measures.
Supplied and installed by Thales, the L-band radar complies with state-of-the-art technology and latest national and international standards. It will be covering the Doha Flight Information Region (FIR) with a range of 250 nautical miles (about 400km), and can detect aircraft from a height of 3,000-65,000ft.