The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Saab a significant contract to install its Aerobahn Runway and Surface Safety service at 26 additional airports across the United States. This award falls under the FAA’s Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) Block 3 deployment, furthering efforts to enhance runway safety through modern, technology-driven solutions.
Saab’s system is designed to increase situational awareness for air traffic controllers by accurately tracking aircraft and vehicles on airport surfaces, even in adverse weather conditions. The solution is derived from the earlier ASDE-X programme and combines proven elements of Saab’s commercial Aerobahn software suite. It uses a cloud-based infrastructure supported by Saab’s Software as a Service (SaaS) model and its Trusted ADS-B service, which relies on cooperative surveillance sensors. This approach reduces the need for extensive physical infrastructure, lowering both installation and maintenance costs.
One of the key advantages of the system is its rapid deployment capability, with a full installation possible in just 90 days. This allows for faster modernisation of airport surface safety systems, contributing to a safer and more efficient national airspace system. Saab’s technology is already operational at several major airports, including Nashville (BNA), San Antonio (SAT), Long Beach (LGB) and Hollywood Burbank (BUR).
The agreement is valid for over ten years, with orders to be placed incrementally over time. Saab U.S. President and CEO Erik Smith emphasised the importance of the partnership with the FAA, stating that the solution addresses a critical safety need in a cost-effective and scalable manner, ultimately benefiting both air traffic controllers and passengers.
