Saab has completed the expansion of its surface multilateration system at Lisbon International Airport into a Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) deployment for Terminal Maneuvering Area surveillance.
Saab has completed the expansion of its surface multilateration system at Lisbon International Airport into a Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) deployment for Terminal Maneuvering Area surveillance. Nav Portugal will use the WAM surveillance data to complement existing radar coverage of flights in the Lisbon Vectoring Area, with enhanced coverage of low flying aircraft.
Previously, Saab's surface multilateration system for Lisbon's Advanced – Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS) was deployed on-time and accepted into operation. The WAM system, comprised of existing A-SMGCS sensors and additional sensors in a wide area formation, provides tracking of Mode S, Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) and Mode A/C targets.
"By expanding the existing Saab multilateration system with additional sensors for terminal area surveillance, we increased our situational awareness of flights as well as added another back-up to the terminal area radar," said Carlos Alves, head of engineering department, Nav Portugal. "This further enhances the safety of flights today and provides us with a system that is fully ready for tomorrow's use of ADS-B."
Saab multilateration uses multiple low-maintenance, non-rotating sensors to triangulate aircraft location based on transponder signals. This provides air traffic controllers with precise aircraft position and identification information regardless of weather conditions. With a higher update rate and greater positional accuracy than traditional radar, multilateration delivers effective surveillance for increased safety, capacity and efficiency of airspace and surface operations.