The French Ministry of Defence, under the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), has chosen the air traffic management and radar system from Indra to support air operations at three of its bases.
These are airbases that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving elite pilots who carry out the most demanding missions. As military airbases, they are also always prepared to respond immediately to sudden changes in traffic demand.
The first of Indra’s systems has been implemented at the Le Luc-en-Provence airbase, home of the French Army’s Light Aviation School (EALAT – École de l’Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre). This airbase is also used as an NH90 pilot school and a French-German training school for Tiger helicopter pilots. The company completed the deployment of a PSR2 radar and an automated air traffic management system in December 2019, which has since been ensuring the safety of the fighter pilots who attend the school and supporting their manoeuvres.
Indra is now finalising the implementation of these systems at the DAX air base in Landas, which is also part of the French Army’s Light Aviation Pilot School, where helicopter pilots from the three armies and the Gendarmerie receive their initial training.
Moreover, in the coming months, Indra will deploy a PSR 2D primary radar and one of its secondary radars at the Air Force’s front-line base in Solenzara, Corsica, a strategic enclave for Mediterranean operations.
The deployment of three radars, with the possibility of a fourth (Indra’s primary and secondary radars) at these bases is part of the SCCOA program of the French Air Operations’ Command and Control System.
Indra’s PSR 2D S-band solid-state radar incorporates the latest state-of-the-art digital technologies. Together with the company’s air traffic automation system, it constitutes one of the most effective systems for the detection, monitoring, automation and control of military air bases. It also complies with the highest standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Eurocontrol.
The solution stands out for its ability to operate with maximum precision in situations of high noise (clutter), interference or anomalies caused by bad weather or rugged terrain. It also provides extremely useful weather information for pilots and controllers.
At the same time, it incorporates the most advanced techniques, developed by Indra to eliminate the noise caused by wind turbines from wind farms, an increasingly common problem that poses a complex technical and operational challenge for both civil and military airports. They also have an optimised Moving Target Detector (MTD) to enable controllers to detect any aircraft in the most adverse conditions, significantly enhancing pilot safety and mission success.
In addition to military aircraft, Indra’s technology will also benefit French firefighting services and civil protection forces that use some of these airbases on occasions. Both Indra’s radar solution and approach control systems are among the most widely used air traffic management solutions worldwide, with hundreds of installations in operation on all five continents.
Indra is one of the world’s leading suppliers of military and civilian radars and one of NATO’s preferred suppliers. Its Lanza 3D radars have proven their performance in the most complex scenarios against technologically advanced adversaries. They are also prepared to detect fifth-generation fighters equipped with stealth technology. The company has also put into operation one of the most powerful and advanced space surveillance radars in existence. It is currently integrated into the European EU SST network which protects satellites and other assets in orbit.
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