S-Band radar system launched at Hamad International Airport to be used in air traffic control systems

HE Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport, today officially opened an S-Band radar system at Hamad International Airport. This system will be employed in air traffic control systems to monitor and manage air traffic for incoming and leaving aircraft.

The S-Band radar system, developed in cooperation with the Italian company Leonardo, will form the core of airspace monitoring, allowing quick and accurate tracking of aircraft in real-time. It is outfitted with cutting-edge capabilities and unmatched precision. The radar system will considerably improve situational awareness and ease the management of air traffic by giving crucial information to air traffic controllers, pilots, and aviation authorities.

HE Paolo Toschi, the Italian ambassador to Qatar, Senior VP Davide Fazio of Leonardo Electronics, and a number of representatives from the MOT and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority were present for the unveiling event for the radar at HIA.

According to HE Minister Al-Sulaiti, the launch of this radar today and the previous milestones within such a short period of time demonstrate the progress made in Qatari air navigation, supporting the development of a civil aviation system that is leading and sustainable and relies on the highest global standards in the industry. He stated that the objective is to raise the nation's standing on the global aviation map to the highest possible levels in terms of effectiveness, quality, and progress, thereby realising the QNV2030.

The number of air movements at Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport, from the start of operations during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 through the conclusion of the competition, reached 26425, which is the equivalent of a landing and a takeoff per minute, adding that the deployment of advanced air navigation systems and technologies has contributed to the achievement of the strategic goals for keeping pace with the need for increasing air traffic capacity.

With cutting-edge technology that complies with the most recent national and international standards, the new radar's goal is to completely redundancy for the primary and secondary radar data. Real-time tracking of an aircraft's location, altitude, speed, and direction is possible for controllers. Using this data, controllers may direct aircraft in a safe and efficient manner, maintain aircraft separation, and give directives.

The S-Band radar has a 200-mile range and a 45,000-foot altitude. It is linked to the long-range L-band radar to ensure safe and efficient air travel. Every 5 seconds, it updates the flight location, assisting in very accurate aircraft position detection. These immediate updates also assist air traffic controllers in prioritising landing and takeoff operations so that three aircraft may land and take off simultaneously at HIA and DIA using three tarmacs, boosting the capacity to 100 aircraft per hour. In the Middle East, this system is being implemented for the first time.