NATS, the UKs leading provider of air traffic services, has strengthened its partnership with European IT expertise by awarding a contract worth € 67M to Indra.
Engineers from NATS and Indra will work together on this complex and technically demanding project to build the next generation of flight data processing equipment. The agreement confirms the confidence both companies have in a long-term business relationship.
The system, iTEC-eFDP, (interoperability Through European Collaboration – european Flight Data Processing) is being considered by other countries in Europe as the answer to their future air traffic control needs.
The project is designed to operate within the overall iTEC-eFDP framework being developed jointly by NATS and Indra with the Spanish air navigation service provider, AENA, and its German counterpart, DFS.
The system will also be interoperable with the SESAR project, which is aimed at harmonising air traffic management across Europe by 2020 against a background of growing air traffic, greater safety and increased efficiency.
SESAR is being driven by the European Commission and Eurocontrol, the co-ordinating body for air traffic in Europe.
Indra’s General Manager Rafael Gallego said: "We are delighted to have been recognised by NATS as its strategic partner to take this programme forward. We look forward to developing with NATS the systems which respond to the most demanding safety and capacity requirements"
NATS’ Supply Chain Director Chris Odam said: “We have a strong business collaboration with Indra that is highly valued by both organisations."
"Last year NATS and Indra signed a System Framework Agreement and a number of other contracts, so our relationship is developing at a number of levels and across a range of business activities".
"It is this breadth of activity and the already strong personal relationships between key players in our organisations which will make our working together a success."
NATS manages some of the most complex and busiest air space in the world, with nearly 2.5m flights handled last year. It provides air traffic services at 15 airports in the UK, including Heathrow and Gatwick, and is a partner worldwide in air space design, airport tower design and airfield management.
Indra is Spain’s first IT multinational and one of Europe and Latin America’s most important. It is the second European company in its sector according to stock market capitalisation and it is one of the three Spanish companies with more investment in I+D. In 2007, revenues will exceed € 2.165M, a third part of it coming from the international market. The company employs 23.500 professionals and has developed projects in more than 80 countries