Article Posted on : - Nov 20, 2011

NEW DELHI (PTI): Global aerospace company ITT Exelis plans to bring to India a high-tech aircraft navigation system that would replace the traditional ground-based radars.

The automatic dependant surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) system, the US-based aviation technology firm claims, is more cost-effective and accurate option than radar-based system.

The company has submitted its bid to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for installing ADS-B receivers in 14 secondary airports across the country.

"AAI has put out contract for initial of 14 airports. AAI put out USD 4 million budget for the project. It is through competitive bidding. Radar is costly, comparatively the new technology is more cost-effective," ITT Exelis Director of Marketing and Sales (FAA Programmes) Michael McNeely told PTI.

He said that the bid currently in the technical evaluation phase and over the next couple of months the results should be out.

"Technology is pretty well understood. AAI understands how it operates," he added.

The ADS-B technology would be replacing radar as the primary surveillance method for controlling aircraft worldwide.

The ground receivers will get the message, filter it geographically, according to who needs the message and send it out it back into the network.

ADS-B, which would use the satellite-based Global Positioning System, enhances safety by making an aircraft visible, real-time, to ATC and to other appropriately equipped ADS-B aircraft with position and velocity data transmitted every second.

He said the ADS-B system would complement the GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system, which is being developed jointly by the AAI and the Indian Space Research Organisation.

The New York-based ITT Exelis is a supplier of night vision, remote sensing and navigation solutions that provide sight and situational awareness at the space, airborne, ground and soldier levels.