The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Sunday signed a contract with Leonardo S.p.A. of Italy for supplying, installing and operating a new sophisticated radar at Hamad International Airport (HIA).
The signing of the contract was witnessed by HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti.
The ceremony was also attended by Qatar Airways Group chief executive HE Akbar al-Baker, CAA chairman Abdulla bin Nasser Turki al-Subaiey and Italian ambassador to Qatar Alessandro Prunas.
The contract was signed by Ali Hamad al-Kuwari, director of the Financial and Administrative Affairs Department and Tender Committee chair, CAA; and Abdallah Mroue, branch director, Leonardo S.p.A.
The Approach Surveillance Radar - PSR and MSSR (primary and secondary radars), to be supplied and installed by the Italian firm, will be added to existing radars at HIA, "thus maintaining the airport’s position as one of the best in the world as the new terminal will be equipped with the latest, sophisticated radars in line with Qatar National Vision 2030", the Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a statement yesterday.
The new radar will effectively contribute to keeping pace with the growing capacity of the airport and Qatari airspace. It will also improve air traffic surveillance and enhance air navigation safety and security, the statement notes.
The new device will also facilitate surveillance and control over increasing air navigation activity in Qatar, particularly during major events the country will host over the coming years - the main of which is FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The radar will be surveilling aircraft movement and identifying them within Qatar’s airspace and the surrounding regions with a coverage range of nearly 230 nautical miles off the centre of the radar.
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