Saab and Thales announced at Singapore Airshow 2024 the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the long-term innovation and modernisation of Singapore’s Air Traffic Management (ATM) infrastructure.

Saab and Thales possess complementary product portfolios that, when combined, form a robust foundation to drive ATM development in Singapore and the surrounding region. Each entity stands as a market leader in Tower Automation and Digital Towers (Saab), advanced ATM systems and architectures (Thales), and ATM support and maintenance.

The partnership involves the collaboration between Saab's Integrated Digital Tower Suite (I-DTS), a state-of-the-art tower automation system with integrated Saab remote tower visualisation, and Thales' OpenSky platform. This innovative alliance aims to establish a common architecture connecting Saab’s I-DTS, Thales TopSky - Air Traffic Control systems as well as other airport systems, providing a robust foundation for a true open architecture beyond 2030.

“This collaboration is the foundation for the ATM industry to take on a larger responsibility in terms of providing systems, services and long-term support for our customers. I look forward to these new ways of working,” says Per Ahl, CEO of Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions and head of ATM marketing and sales at Saab.

“Thales envisages open architectures as a key transformation for air traffic management systems in the coming years. Leveraging our OpenSky platform offering together with our centre of excellence dedicated to ATM in Singapore, Thales is excited to embark on this journey of establishing new standards that enable seamless integration between 3rd party systems,” says Philippe Bernard-Flattot, VP Airspace Mobility Solutions in Asia-Pacific, Thales.  

The collaboration promises improved experiences for our customers by seamlessly addressing integration challenges. It not only reduces risks, time, and complexity for users but also fosters deeper collaboration in ATM innovation, from research to system replacement, setting new industry standards.