Selex ES, a Finmeccanica company, signed a contract for a value of about €40 million with the General Directorate of the Civil Aviation of Kuwait, to provide a networking data infrastructure to allow data exchange in the Kuwait City airport.

The three-year agreement, named KADIN (Kuwait Airport Data Interchange Network), includes the supply and the installation of complex hardware and software systems for the management of data traffic among the several and different airport systems, which are already operational or which may be operational in the future. The agreement also includes four years’ logistic support.

This contract follows to one signed in 2010 with the same customer for the provision of a primary radar system and an ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) for air traffic control and opens up interesting opportunities for the coming programme of the new Kuwait City airport.

"In the Middle East area, Selex ES has shown its competencies both in the airport and air traffic control systems domain, as well as in other fields with solutions covering requirements in a variety of security and surveillance sectors.

"The company has become a consolidated presence in the Gulf Countries. In fact the impressive new Doha Airport in Qatar and the Bahrain airport are entirely equipped by systems and sensors designed and manufactured by Selex ES, as well as the airports of Jeddah and Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia, which rely on systems made by us," said Fabrizio Giulianini, Selex ES Chief Executive Officer.

Selex ES is also present in the Gulf area with its naval systems, including coastal and maritime surveillance. Among the contracts signed by the company in the area, there is also a supply to Yemen of a VTS (Vessel Traffic System) coastal surveillance system, which will contribute in strengthening the country’s coastal security.

The company is also present in the United Arab Emirates, with the supply of naval systems to a number of naval ships, as well as with a joint venture, Abu Dhabi Systems Integration (ADSI) for naval systems integration.