Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Implements Phase 2 of the ILS- CAT III Upgrade Project

As part of the continuing steps taken by the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to develop the Kingdom of Bahrain’s air navigation systems in line with international standards and recommended practices set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), an agreement was signed earlier today on the sidelines of the Bahrain International Airshow 2018 by His Excellency Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, and French company Aeroport de Paris Ingenierie (ADPI), for the amount of BHD 930,200/-.

The signing took place today in the presence of ADPI CEO Mr Florent Merminod, and is a culmination of joint efforts between the MTT’s Civil Aviation Affairs and the Bahrain Airport Company to implement the very latest in technology of CAT III.

Implementing CAT III, which ensures the highest level precision approach for aircrafts landing on the runway, is part of the Ministry’s plan to develop and modernize the ILS operations at Bahrain International Airport (BIA).  The system enables pilots to navigate and land safely in difficult weather conditions and low visibility.

Speaking about this important step in Bahrain’s aviation development, His Excellency the Minister said that this move comes following the directives of HH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister to accelerate the upgrade of air navigation systems at BIA in line with the overarching strategy of developing Bahrain’s civil aviation industry, which comes as part of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s economic progress plan.

His Excellency added that the rapid technological advances being witnessed across the world at airports, aviation companies and civil aviation authorities in the past few years have pushed the industry into finding the best solutions- such as CAT III- for difficult weather conditions.

“I am pleased to announce that the MTT is about to appoint a consultant to upgrade the ILS operations at BIA to CAT III, which allow pilots to land in visibilities of up to 50m.  This involves

installing additional lights on the runway and the development of auxiliary substations to support CAT III operations.

This will enable enhanced safety and security during takeoff and landing and will help reduce the number of diverted flights from BIA, as well as prevent delays and protect the safety of passengers.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has long been considered as a pioneer in the field of air navigation and air traffic control, and has been providing these services for over 70 years.  The Air Traffic Control Center at BIA is considered to be one of the most important in the region, providing services at excellent standards due to its team of highly qualified and trained Bahrainis who undergo training supervised by the MTT’s Civil Aviation Affairs.