Nine-Year-Old Equipment Gets First Major Upgrade

Digital systems, including IP-based voice communications, airfield monitoring and new IP radios, are at the heart of the through-life upgrades the Royal Australian Air Force are receiving on their Transportable Air Operations Tower (TAOT) systems. The first of the units to receive the upgrades was rolled out of developer Rohde & Schwarz Australia‘s systems integration facility on 8 November, ahead of delivery to the RAAF in the coming days.

“We delivered the TAOT’s impressive capability to Air Force as prime systems integrator,” R&S Australia Managing Director Gareth Evans stated. He praised his team’s efforts in completing the modernisation of the first unit despite restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted the priority the company places on “ensuring that capability remains at the cutting edge of air traffic control technology.”

To that end, Evans pointed out that the upgrades were just the start of a comprehensive mid-life upgrade programme for the systems, which were first delivered in 2012. The TAOTs will “continue to be modernised as part of a spiral upgrade program to assure the capability and extend their service life to 2030 and beyond.”