ESC awards Iraqi air traffic control tower integration contract

Published Aug. 27, 2010
By Chuck Paone
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The Electronic Systems Center's Aerospace Management Systems Division has awarded a contract to ARINC for procuring, integrating, installing and testing air traffic control tower equipment for two Iraqi air force bases.

The tower equipment and integration will allow the Iraqi Air Force to establish operational control towers at Tikrit and Taji air bases.

"This equipment must be carefully integrated into the new towers both during the tower design and construction phases," said Jamison Murray of the division's Foreign Military Sales Branch.

The work is being done as part of a joint effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for design and construction of the two Air Traffic Control towers. The Tikrit tower completion is expected in November, and the Taji tower should be finished by next April.

As soon as construction is complete, ARINC will begin the air traffic control installation and integration efforts.

The results will enable the U.S. government to deliver "turn-key operational control towers over to the Iraqi Air Force," Mr. Murray said. "This is another key step to helping Iraqi air forces operate autonomously using modern facilities and equipment."