The integration of civil and military air traffic control took a giant leap forward this week when final contracts were signed on the $1.2 billion OneSKY system.
Airservices Australia CEO Jason Harfield described the system as “probably the biggest development in the safe management of Australia’s skies since aviation began in this country.”
“This state of the art system means for the first time civil and military air traffic controllers will share the same integrated air traffic management system using the same information to jointly manage 11 percent of the world’s airspace for which Australia is responsible.”
The system, developed in partnership by Airservices Australia and Defence with Thales Australia, will not only improve safety but reduce flight times, as airlines will have more flexibility in choosing the most efficient routes for their aircraft.