The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a contract worth $244.3M to air traffic management specialist Indra to renew its ground-air communications system. Indra will replace analogue radio systems (UHF and VHF) with digital radio equipment capable of both analogue and VoIP operation.

This contract positions Indra as the global leader in radio communications for ATM with roughly 50% market share.

The company envisions the manufacture of up to 46,000 new radio devices at its facility in Overland Park, Kansas, where it will transfer the production of its Park Air radio technology for the United States market.

In addition to developing the equipment, the contract includes producing, testing, and qualifying the radios as well as a 10-year warranty on radios.

Indra’s digital radio systems are equipped with IP technology to enable voice and data communication over a secure network (VoIP), which will enable air-ground communications between pilots and air traffic controllers in facilities across the U.S. Furthermore, Indra’s technology will help reinforce safety, efficiency, and the resiliency of the nation’s air traffic control system.

Indra’s relationship with the FAA has recently included Indra’s Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) technology on its list of qualified products for the surveillance and monitoring of surface aircraft. The FAA will be able to acquire this technology for any of the nation’s 450 towered airports.

“This contract constitutes another step in our growth strategy in the United States, which forms part of our Leading the Future plan to expand our global ATM leadership. Key to achieving the above has been the cooperation of our subsidiary in the United States with Indra’s Center of Excellence for radios in the United Kingdom ‘Park Air’, renowned for its leadership and extensive experience in the development of advanced communications systems, which will now have a new production centre in Kansas”, said Javier Ruano, director of ATM at Indra.