France has selected Collins Aerospace’s vehicle-mounted Air Traffic Navigation, Integration, and Coordination System (ATNAVICS) for its army, becoming the system’s first foreign customer.
The RTX subsidiary touts the platform as “the most capable, lightweight and compact configuration available,” providing air traffic services for rapid troop and equipment deployment to remote areas and to support humanitarian missions in harsh environments.
“The selection … of our mobile air traffic control systems will provide French forces with expeditionary air traffic management capabilities,” Collins Aerospace’s Dr. Bruce Brown said.
“Our mission-proven system is designed to provide field operations with on-demand surveillance, precision landing and identification friend-or-foe capabilities.”
The country joins the US Army, US Marine Corps, and US Air Force in employing the solution for mobile ground control approach.
The deal was signed at the Eurosatory Defence and Security Exhibition, during a ceremony attended by company and government representatives.
“We look forward to receiving this new capability, which will enable our forces to quickly open up theaters of operation, thanks to the use of a single military transport aircraft for ATNAVICS dispatch, which can be deployed in less than an hour,” said Colonel Aurélie of the French defense procurement agency.
Recent Collins Contracts
In May, Collins Aerospace announced a partnership with Rolls-Royce and the Sierra Nevada Corporation to support the US Air Force’s “Doomsday” aircraft development.
The initiative is part of the Pentagon’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) program to replace the US’ nuclear-resistant E-4B Nightwatch fleet in service since the 1970s.
Collins will design, manufacture, and supply various solutions for the completion of the SAOC aircraft.
In January, the company finished testing on an 80-kilowatt cooling system for an F-35 aircraft power and thermal capability replacement effort.
The platform’s Enhanced Power and Cooling System was trialed under various operating conditions to support future operations.
Additionally, in September last year joint venture Collins Elbit Vision Systems was contracted by the US Navy to engineer, produce, and test Improved Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems for the Block III F/A-18E Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.