Thales has been awarded a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to provide the Saudi Arabia National Guard with navigation aids (navaids) and air traffic control tower equipment. The technology will support visual and instrument flight rules for fixed and rotary wing aircraft at two new Saudi Arabian airfields – Khashm al-An Airfield, east of Riyadh, and Dirab Airfield, southwest of Riyadh.

This contract underscores Thales position as a trusted provider of ATM technology for both civilian and military airspace.

Khashm al-An Airfield is still under construction, and will feature a 2,000 meter paved runway and taxiway for fixed-wing aircraft. Construction on Dirab Airfield has not yet begun; the Airfield will accommodate both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Once operational, these airfields will house the Saudi National Guard’s aircraft.

For more than 70 years, Thales has partnered with defense and civil aviation to provide the most reliable, highest accuracy ATM technology needed for public protection and safety. The technology being deployed at these airfields is certified to meet all the international standards, supporting the safe operation of both facilities.

“The selection by the USAF to deploy a comprehensive navigation aid and ATC technology infrastructure for SANG underscores the market’s trust in Thales’s proven military and civilian airspace solutions. Additionally, the opportunity to lay the air traffic management foundation for these new airfields furthers our expertise in deploying high functioning, high accuracy ATM technology in demanding environments,” said Tony Lo Brutto, Vice President in charge of ATM business, Thales US.