The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is going to install modern radar at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) within next two years replacing the existing one. To avoid any controversies, the government is going to procure the radar from Thales Technology of France, under the G2G process at a cost of Tk 650 crore within the next six months, CAAB sources informed.
To modernize the radar system, the necessary equipment will be installed under the project titled ‘Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM)’ undertaken by the CAAB. Civil aviation and tourism state minister Md Mahbub Ali said, “If we procure radar through CNS/ATM product it will save at least Tk 1500 crore.
It is to be noted, on September 17 last, as per the Prime Minister’s Office order, a nine-member committee was formed to purchase CNS-ATM equipment on G2G basis. They will sort out whether it is expedient to purchase goods from other governments or companies, and will also set the price of the project in consultation with the technical committee.
In the meantime, the technical specification of the CNS-ATM system modernization has been completed with the support of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) technical cooperation bureau specialist. There is another committee consisting IMED, Planning Commission, BUET and CAAB-related department officials, to implement the project at the earliest.
CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman informed that, as the government’s rapid progress, the work order will be awarded within the next six months, and the radar installation will be completed within the next two years. Based on CAAB information, in the meantime, the French Government submitted technical and financial reports to CAAB. At present, the proposals are in the scrutiny phase. At the end of the scrutiny the final decision, it will send to the government.
On condition of anonymity, a communication department official said, using the latest radar will enhance the capacity for air traffic control. At then, the authority will be able to cover sea borders and identify commercial airliners. Only through this, CAAB revenue earnings will increase by several times. It is to be noted, CAAB took initiatives to replace the old radar at HSIA in 2005. In 2012, a company proposed to install the radar at Tk 330 crore under the public-private partnership. The next year, in September, ECNEC approved the project and four companies submitted tender in 2015.
CAAB primarily selected contractor company Karim Associates after primary investigation. But when they sent the proposal to the ministry for final approval, the ministry rejected it as it showed unusual expenditure, and accordingly informed the PMO authority. In the Thales Technology proposal, it was found that they have added Surveillance of EZ, HF Transmitter, 3D tower simulator, Controllers roster management tool, BGD tool, and others. As per their information, once these technology and equipment are added with the new radar, the country’s sky will be one of the safest air routes of the world.