Aero-News learned Tuesday that Rockwell Collins has been awarded a contract from Thai Aviation Industries, Inc. (TAI) to upgrade the Royal Thai Air Force's (RTAF) fleet of C-130 aircraft with an integrated Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) solution.

"With this contract award, the Royal Thai Air Force takes an important step toward gaining unrestricted access to global airspace,' said Woody Hogle, vice president and general manager of Integrated Systems for Rockwell Collins. "We are committed to delivering fully operational, CNS/ATM-capable military aircraft on time and on budget."

Rockwell Collins will deliver the avionics solution, based on the company's Flight2(tm) avionics system, on six RTAF C-130 aircraft. The system will include an Ethernet-based integrated processing center (IPC) with flight management capabilities, large format multifunction liquid crystal displays, as well as Rockwell Collins Multi-mode Receiver, TCAS II Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, weather radar, autopilot, and SATCOM, HF and V/UHF radios. This upgrade will allow the RTAF C-130 to have unrestricted access to civil airspace by providing required navigation performance compliance and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capability. The system supports growth to controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC).

Rockwell Collins will install the avionics solution with TAI, providing an installation team for the first two aircraft. TAI will supply the installation team for the final four aircraft. Installation will take place at TAI's installation facilities at Takhli airbase in Thailand.

Rockwell Collins Flight2 system augments and enhances aircraft operational capabilities by providing an open systems architecture that integrates flight operations with navigation and guidance functions while providing growth for future requirements. As the prime avionics systems integrator for the RTAF C-130 Avionics Upgrade program, Rockwell Collins provides technology that prepares their aircraft for changing CNS/ATM requirements as the airspace transitions to Free Flight operations.

This award represents the latest in a number of successful CNS/ATM upgrade programs for Rockwell Collins, including the U.S. Air Force C/KC-135 GATM aircraft fleet upgrade and several international C-130 programs.

TAI was formed in 2003 when the Thai Government announced the policy to transform Thailand into an aviation hub in Asia. Expansion of various aviation-related activities increased the demand for aircraft maintenance and repair services, leading to the establishment of TAI as the standard aircraft maintenance and repair center in Thailand.

With technical and personnel support from overseas companies, more than 200 TAI engineers and technicians are continuously developing their knowledge and skills. They are now capable of providing maintenance and repair services for both small and large military aircraft such as PC-9, CT-4 series, C-130, G222, AVRO 748, F-16 and UH-1H.

FMI: www.rockwellcollins.com