NAN-H-56
Aeronautic
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has disclosed that the first phase of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) new aeronautical telecommunication network project would be completed in December.
Sirika stated this on Monday at the 24th Meeting of Western and Central Africa Satellite Network Management Committee (SNMC) holding in Abuja.
He said that the country embarked on the project with the aim of developing a new communication backbone with a network of 22 VSATs at all Nigerian airports.
The minister explained that the first phase of the project was sited at 11 locations, while the remaining 15 locations would be completed in 2017.
He also said the project had delivered a centralised aeronautical database that was currently being populated with data to enhance seamless integration with other states or the regional database.
“Nigeria has also procured and is currently installing six new Doppler VORs (VHF Omni-directional Range), six new Instrument Landing Systems with collated distance measuring equipment at six airports to enhance air navigation.
“Similarly, approval has been granted for the software and hardware upgrade and maintenance of the current Total Rader Coverage to make the system more efficient and interoperable with other systems.
“In an effort to enhance air navigation, a Controller Pilot Data Communication System (CPDLC) and an Automatic Dependant Surveillance Contract (ADS-C) were installed in 2015 to provide strategic back-up for existing surveillance systems,’’ he said.
Sirika said that the country had nine Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) systems with a range of 256 nautical miles that were strategically distributed to provide total radar coverage of Nigeria’s airspace.
He said that the location of those radar systems adequately overlapped into neighbouring airspaces of Niamey, Lome, Cotonou, Ndjamena, Douala and Accra.
According to him, in the spirit of one aviation and single African Sky, Nigeria remains committed to any initiative that would ensure safe, secure and cost effective communication, navigation and surveillance data sharing.
Mr Francois-Xavier Salambanga, Regional Officer, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), said the meeting was aimed at increasing the stakeholders’ awareness for a best and balanced decision making.
Salambanga added that the meeting would also give opportunity for the industry to provide participants with the latest technologies trends in the matter of satellite communication.
He said that the main objective was to insure the safety of people and goods which travelled by air and to contribute to the development of the economy of air transportation in the AFI region.
Salambanga said that communication played a crucial role in all the sectors of civil aviation in particular in the provision of air navigation service.
According to him, that is why the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) gives particular importance to the AFISNET network, in particular to the activities related to its management.
“It supports the various initiatives of states and organizations to find common solutions in a sub-regional or regional frame.
“In this regard, initiatives have been taken towards the Economic Commission of the West African States (ECOWAS) with the aim to request facilitation for funding,’’ he said. (NAN)
OYS/FAT/OPI
Edited by Fatima Sule and Olisa Ifeajika