Runway Situational Awareness System Designed To Increase Safety
On The Ground
The FAA has selected Saab Sensis Corporation for the Airport
Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) program. FAA has
incrementally funded $5 million of the $54 million five year
contract. In addition, options for deliveries beyond the five year
period are valued at $65 million, for a total contract value of
$119 million.
ASSC is a program that will bring enhanced surface situational
awareness and advanced warning of potential runway incursions to
nine U.S. airports for increased safety and efficiency, including
options for additional sites. Each ASSC deployment will incorporate
Saab Sensis multilateration, safety logic conflict detection and
alerting software, air traffic controller working positions, and
recording/playback functionality. ASSC will process Automatic
Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data along with
other sensor sources for a single, fused view of the airport
runways and taxiways. In addition, the flexible nature of the ASSC
system architecture enables future airport surface safety
enhancements, such as Runway Status Lights (RWSL), and airport
surface movement data distribution to other approved systems and
users.
The FAA has indicated the following airports to receive ASSC:
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Alaska), Andrews Air
Force Base (Maryland), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
Airport (Kentucky), Cleveland Hopkins Airport (Ohio), Kansas City
International Airport (Missouri), Louis Armstrong New Orleans
International Airport (Louisiana), Pittsburgh International Airport
(Pennsylvania), Portland International Airport (Oregon), and San
Francisco International Airport (California).
"Through ASSC, Saab Sensis will draw on its successful ASDE-X
program and strong working relationship with the FAA to improve the
surface safety at nine more U.S. airports. The system uses
technologies already certified for use in the National Airspace
System for an efficient, cost-effective solution," said Ken
Kaminski, vice president and general manager of Saab Sensis. "This
program further strengthens Saab Sensis' position as the world
leader in Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems
and surface conflict detection and alerting with more than 50 sites
worldwide."
Saab Sensis has deployed Airport Surface Detection Equipment,
Model X (ASDE-X), the FAA's primary runway situational awareness
system, to 35 major U.S. airports and is the prime contractor for
the RWSL program with 23 airports under contract. The company is
also participating in the FAA's Low Cost Ground Surveillance
program. Internationally, the company is deploying or has deployed
Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems to nine
airports and surface multilateration at 18 additional airports.