Leonardo has revealed that the company will design, supply and bring into service a complete Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Kuwait City International Airport’s new Terminal 4.
The announcement was made during the Gulf Defense & Aerospace (GDA) 2017 event which took place in Kuwait City from the 12th to 14th of December.
The upgrade is part of a wider airport project to construct a new passenger terminal building and associated infrastructure. This endeavor was launched in 2016 by Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and is being led by a joint-venture between Turkish company Cengiz Insaat and local company First Kuwaiti. Leonardo was selected by Cengiz Insaat to provide the new Baggage Handling System.
With Kuwait International Airport expected to receive more than 4.5 million passengers per year, Terminal 4’s new Baggage Handling System will help the airport cope with the increase in numbers and ensure that passengers’ luggage continues to be smoothly and efficiently processed. The new Terminal 4 is being fast-tracked to ensure that the airport can effectively support existing Terminal 1 operations. To help facilitate this, deliveries for the Baggage Handling System are expected to be completed by spring 2018.
Leonardo’s BHS uses the latest technology to ensure smooth operation, reduced power consumption and ease of maintenance. The company will supply a complete system including departures and arrivals subsystems, 48 check-in desks, integrated ‘standard 3’ x-ray machines, make-up carousels, a level 3 hold baggage screening area and arrival lines which feed reclaim carousels with integrated customs screening via x-ray machines. Leonardo will also be providing its monitoring system to assist operators and maintenance personnel.
This contract further enhances Leonardo’s presence in the international baggage handling systems market, where the company offers its state-of-the-art MBHS® (Multi-sorter Baggage Handling System) cross-belt sorter. Airports which have chosen Leonardo systems include Rome Fiumicino, Geneva (Switzerland), Lyon and Mulhouse (France). Leonardo is now looking to extend its leadership position into other European countries and export markets such as the Middle East.
As a global aerospace and defense company, Leonardo sees Kuwait as an important, long-term partner. The company has signed a contract to supply 28 Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighter aircraft to Kuwait, an aircraft for which Leonardo is responsible for more than 60% of the electronics and plays a key role in the provision of its airframe.
Moreover, a number of Kuwait’s pilots have earned their wings at the Italian Air Force’s M-346 Integrated Training Academy, using the training system provided by Leonardo. The company has also provided data management systems for Kuwait City airport as well as air traffic control radars and equipment.
Leonardo is also looking to build its relationship with Kuwait’s Navy in the defense systems field and is promoting its new products for imminent and future requirements.
