RNAS Culdrose: New state of the art tower to offer leading technology to air traffic controllers

High-resolution cameras, data feeds and sensors will enable Royal Navy air traffic controllers to manage the skies above Cornwall from a remote location.

A new digital remote air traffic control tower is due to be installed for use by Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose's satellite airfield at Predannack and will enable air traffic services to be conducted offsite.

The technology will also enhance the controllers' situational awareness, through video, automatic tracking, graphic overlays, environmental data and radar labels.

Built in partnership with Saab, the tower will be the first of its kind to be introduced to UK Armed Forces and is expected to go live later this year.

Currently, Air Traffic services at Predannack are provided by personnel physically located at the Aerodrome tower overlooking the airfield.

Thanks to the new state-of-the-art tower and its technology, personnel will have access to "out of the window" views displayed via the cameras and other sensors onto a curved screen wall in a Air Traffic Controller Module based remotely within the ATC Tower back at RNAS Culdrose.

Navy air traffic controllers will have the ability to use the new system to provide all-round horizon scanning and automatically detect potential conflicts. From a practical point of view, it also removes the delays from travelling to the Aerodrome tower at Predannack from RNAS Culdrose.

Lt Paul Hollyoake from the Royal Navy added:

"The use of this innovative technology will enable the control of aircraft at remote satellite locations from a central hub, therefore streamlining the operational effectiveness and cost-efficiency of support to defence aviation."

The funding for the project was provided by the Royal Navy's Discovery, Assessment and Rapid Exploitation (DARE) Team.