The project will mean the full coverage of the Argentine airspace and the incorporation of state-of-the-art technology, in a joint effort by two State-owned companies, INVAP and EANA S.E.
At the National Ministry of Transport, its Minister, Alexis Guerrera, together with EANA S.E.’s President and General Manager, Gabriela Logatto, and INVAP’s General Manager and CEO, Vicente Campenni, met yesterday afternoon to articulate the technical know-how for the execution of the Modernization of the Air Traffic Surveillance System Project, which will be carried out through a 40.4 million-dollar credit granted by the Andean Development Corporation (CAF, in Spanish) to EANA S.E. that will be wholly assigned to technological investment.
This project is part of the Modernization of the Air Traffic Plan promoted by the National Ministry of Transport and supported by the presidential decree No. 650/2021. It involves an investment of approximately 44.9 million dollar, 4.49 of which will be provided by the National Government as a contribution to strengthen the physical and digital infrastructure of the surveillance systems of the Argentine airspace and the National Airport System.
The meeting was attended by EANA S.E.’s Chief of Cabinet of Advisors, Diego Segovia; EANA’s Vice-President and Executive Manager of Regional Affairs, Laureano Quiroga; and the Head of the Operating Strategic Unit, Matías Bascary Miller. Also present were the Undersecretary of Administrative Management of the Ministry of Transport, Julio A. Roca, as well as INVAP’s Radar, Defense and Security Manager, Darío Giussi.
It is worth mentioning that the first National Plan of Radars was implemented during Néstor Kirchner’s presidency, with Alberto Fernández as Chief of Cabinet; and that 22 systems of Monopulse Secondary Radars (RSMA, in Spanish) were developed and installed by INVAP between 2004 and 2014.
The current project of Modernization of the Air Traffic Surveillance System contemplates the acquisition of three primary radars with state-of-the-art technology (PSR-SSR multi-sensor A/C/S modes, ADS-B MET systems) for the provinces of Córdoba, Buenos Aires and Mendoza; two new secondary SSR (A/C/S modes, ADS-B functionality) radars for the provinces of Santiago del Estero and Santa Cruz; five ADS-B stations —which are extremely important for road traffic in difficult-to-access mountainous places— for the provinces of Formosa, Catamarca (two locations), San Juan and Jujuy; and two radomes to protect the radars against harsh weather in the cities of Ushuaia and El Calafate.
Furthermore, 22 currently working radars, which have been in operation during approximately 10 years on average and are approaching the end of their lifetime, will be technologically updated and will incorporate new ADS-B technology (S Mode and meteorological channel). The technological renewal will be federal in scope, including radars located in the cities of Bahía Blanca, San Carlos de Bariloche, Comodoro Rivadavia, Córdoba, Corrientes, La Rioja, Malargüe, Morteros, Neuquén, Pehuajó, Posadas, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, Puerto Madryn, Quilmes, Río Gallegos, Salta, San Julián, San Luis, Santa Rosa, Ushuaia, Esquel and San Miguel de Tucumán.
“This project is part of our Transport Modernization Plan, with which we are settling a debt of many years, equipping our airports with state-of-the-art technology to know what is happening in the skies and to have a better air traffic control. We are carrying it out through the joint work of two State-owned companies (in the case of INVAP, a company of the Province of Río Negro), both of which have a technical and professional level that are a source of national pride,” said Guerrera in this respect.
As regards the relevance of the implementation of this project to EANA S.E., Gabriela Logatto assured: “We are very happy with the signing of this agreement with INVAP. It means an advanced technological development for the air navigation services in Argentina. We will soon be able to have radar coverage over our whole territory as well as to incorporate new technology, such as the S Mode radars and the ADS-B stations. We are very proud to do it together with INVAP, a State-owned company as well, and it is certainly a great satisfaction.”
In his turn, Capenni drew attention to the importance of this kind of actions for INVAP: “For us, it is a significant milestone that ratifies the continuity of a technological development that started back in 2004. A magnificent national coverage has been achieved, but the life cycle of these processes requires constant updating and that is what we are now doing. This radar system favors the development of commercial air navigation. Likewise, from now on we intend to continue growing in this technological area so as to be also able to go on exporting.”
It is worth mentioning that INVAP will be the main contractor, boosting two national State companies and supporting Argentine highly skilled employment in the technology area at the same time. Besides, this will promote the technological industry and develop new capacities in the region.
This project is a historical event for the sector, consolidating INVAP as a leading regional player. The project execution period has been estimated in 36 months (between 2022 and 2025).
+ info: Ministry of Transport
