SITA Helping Saudi Arabia Expand Its Datalink Coverage

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia is partnering with SITA to expand VHF air-to-ground data communication services over the entire country.

GACA will deploy 17 SITA VHF ground stations to expand SITA's existing coverage and replace six older generation VHF ground stations.  In addition, GACA will deploy VDLM2 (VHF digital link mode 2) to increase bandwidth at the major airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah.  The transition to VDLM2 will also help GACA to prepare for its future implementation of ATN (aeronautical telecommunication network) services.

The VHF ground stations will be used for both GACA's air navigation service applications, and airline applications for SITA's AIRCOM customers.

Philip Clinch, SITA's vice president, aircraft communications, said the GACA agreement is similar to ones between SITA and AENA-Spain in 2002 and between SITA and DFS-Germany in 2005, adding that other ANSPs (air navigation service providers) could benefit from such partnerships that "provide modern air traffic control communications throughout their regions at minimum cost to the airlines."  12-16-2007.

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