Airways New Zealand, Airservices Australia sign MoU to beef up ATM collaboration

Airways New Zealand and Airservices Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen collaboration on initiatives that enhance the safety, efficiency and resilience of air traffic services across the region. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation in areas critical to the future of aviation. These include operational contingency planning, innovation in air traffic management, workforce planning and training, and advanced safety analytics. Under the MOU, Airways and Airservices will share knowledge and best practices, explore joint projects, and coordinate contributions to regional and international forums such as ICAO and CANSO. The partnership also includes opportunities for secondments and joint training to build workforce capability and resilience. Airways Chief Executive James Young says the agreement reflects a shared commitment to delivering safe skies today and tomorrow. “This partnership enables us to combine expertise and resources to address common challenges and deliver innovative solutions for the aviation sector. By working together, we can strengthen operational resilience and support the region’s future growth.” Airservices Australia Chief Executive Rob Sharp says the MOU gives the two organisations a bilateral platform to jointly deliver significant outcomes for the region and mature air traffic management in the Asia-Pacific. “The relationship we have with counterparts from New Zealand has strengthened considerably in the last 18 months and formalising our partnership under this MOU will enhance this collaboration,” he says. Airways and Airservices currently engage in joint work in training and technology. Airservices’ air traffic controller (ATC) cohorts train in New Zealand and Airservices utilises Airways’ mobile ATC simulators for training in dispersed locations. The Australian provider has also adopted Airways’ SureSelect candidate assessment toolkit to strengthen its recruitment process. Thales selected by Malaysia to strengthen ATC at Johor Bahru Thales, in collaboration with local partner Novatis, is upgrading the radar station at Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai airport in Johor Bahru, which is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). This modernization will enhance both approach surveillance at the airport and surveillance services at Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre. With the addition of Thales’ RSM NG radar, the region will now benefit from two Thales radars systems, providing comprehensive coverage across both Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. This ensures that air traffic controllers can track aircraft position seamlessly, regardless of the conditions. Thales’ RSM NG secondary surveillance radar will replace the airport’s existing secondary radar with minimal service disruption, strengthening air traffic control at an airport that handles around 5 million passengers per year. Thales will manufacture, deliver and install the RSM NG along with its ADS-B system. This new system will bring many benefits, including: Enhanced airspace surveillance and sovereignty: the RSM NG will deliver real-time information on cooperative aircraft to strengthen Malaysia’s ability to monitor and secure its national airspace. Greater reliability and resilience in aircraft identification: its meta-sensor provides more accurate identification and tracking, ensuring continuity of information even in cases of jamming or spoofing attempts. Robust cybersecurity protection: Equipped with the latest cybersecurity updates, the RSM NG safeguards critical surveillance data against evolving digital threats. Thales will install two ADS-B stations as complementary surveillance solutions to enhance radar coverage and expand air traffic control (ATC) surveillance capabilities. This initiative aims to boost the safety and efficiency of air traffic control by providing enhanced detection and enabling better management of aircraft movements within the designated area. “By combining Novatis’ local expertise with Thales’ cutting-edge technology in Air Traffic Control and Surveillance, we are strengthening our commitment to the modernisation of air traffic management and to the long-term development of Malaysia’s aviation infrastructure. This new contract marks a significant step in the modernisation of the Johor Bahru airport and enables Thales to support the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia in advancing its Digital Strategic Plan,” said Florian Riou, Country Director of Thales in Malaysia. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]