R&S radios for upgraded RAAF air-ground-air voice link

Rohde & Schwarz (Australia) has signed a contract with BAE Systems to provide software-defined radios, backup communications systems and monitoring for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) air traffic control (ATC).

The contract forms part of Project AIR 5431 Phase 3, which will see the current fixed military air traffic management and control systems at 12 locations replaced with a new, harmonised system.

Project AIR 5431 Phase 3 feeds into the national OneSky Project, which aims to deliver safe and more efficient air traffic services, manage future air traffic growth and support national security based on a seamless civil-military cooperation in ATC.

“The support being provided by Rohde & Schwarz includes CERTIUM radios and ancillaries, CERTIUM VCS-4G as the backup voice communications system and CERTIUM management systems for all of the 12 ATC facilities,” said Managing Director of Rohde & Schwarz (Australia), Gareth Evans.

“We have the capability in Australia to sustain CERTIUM systems from our integration laboratory, maintenance and calibration facilities in Sydney,” he added.

The company will deliver all the required elements over the next 12 months.

“BAE Systems is pleased to partner with Rohde & Schwarz (Australia). Its CERTIUM software-defined radio products are key elements of the advanced air-ground-air communications capability that BAE Systems is designing, integrating and deploying for the RAAF,” said BAE Systems Australia Program Manager Peter Cantwell.

“BAE Systems and Rohde & Schwarz (Australia) have a long history of collaboration in this domain.”

Image © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence