Airplane landing

ATM Systems Aid Polish Air Stations

May 8, 2018
Air traffic control and communications around Warsaw Airport has been improved with the installation of VHF/UHF radio systems in surrounding air stations.

Park Air Systems, an air-traffic-management (ATM) subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp., recently delivered its Sapphire ATM communications system equipment to four remote air stations in Poland, all serving the Warsaw Airport. The stations are located in Brzesk, Gabin, Radom, and Sieradz. The systems were delivered to the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) in December and were installed in first quarter 2018.

“PANSA was looking for an outstanding air-ground communications capability that is safe, reliable and easy to maintain,” said Roman Drozdz, service director for Mawilux, Northrop Grumman’s project integrator in Poland. “They found it in the market leading T6 radio, the smallest, lightest, and most environmentally friendly radio available.”

Installation of VHF/UHF radio systems in four air stations around the Warsaw Airport are expected to improve service for air customers. (Courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corp.)

The ATM systems rely on Northrop Grumman’s Sapphire equipment, including its T6 tactical radios which use wideband AM waveforms at a standard VHF range of 118 to 137 MHz and a UHF range of 225 to 400 MHz. Installation of the equipment within these remote air stations will improve the coverage available to PANSA air traffic controllers based in Warsaw for communicating with military and civil aircraft.

“The feedback we received from PANSA following the training was very positive,” said Danny Milligan, managing director, Park Air Systems, Northrop Grumman. “The dedicated training academy we have here at our UK facility and the tailored courses we can provide allowed us to exceed our customer’s expectations.”

The Sapphire radios are supplied with analog and IP interfaces for audio and data connections. These capabilities allow the radio systems to operate on the legacy networks, while also enabling transitions to the IP technology for future use. In its 50-year history, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has installed 60,000 radios in 180 countries around the world.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.

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