Thales is set to upgrade Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) air traffic control centre, working alongside local partner SOFRATESA as part of a consortium.
The project involves delivering a comprehensive range of air traffic management solutions, including air traffic control (ATC) systems, aeronautical message handling systems (AMHS), and voice recording systems (VRS).
This technology overhaul is designed to help manage increased aviation activity in Panama.
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According to AAC data, aircraft movements in Panama rose by 14.8% in 2024, with 152,813 operations recorded compared to 133,084 in 2022.
Projections estimate that annual flight movements could surpass 200,000 and passenger numbers may go beyond 20 million in future years.
Panama CAA director general Captain Rafael Bárcenas said: “This project, resulting from the alliance with Thales and Sofratesa, strengthens the institution’s firm commitment to operational safety, improves efficiency in air traffic management, and promotes the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, in line with the growth of the aviation sector and the highest international standards.”
The partnership follows Thales’s ongoing presence in the region.
The company marks four decades of business in Central America and the Caribbean and has spent over ten years supporting Panama’s air traffic control infrastructure.
Thales noted that its air traffic management integration and service centre in Mexico City will contribute support and skills development for the Panamanian project.
Thales has completed various modernisation efforts throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, having deployed more than 220 radars, 500 navigational aids, and 30 air traffic control centres across the continent.
The company also established what it describes as the world’s first fully solar-powered air traffic control radar station in Calama, Chile.
Thales airspace mobility solutions vice-president Youzec Kurp said: “This collaboration marks a significant step in the continued modernisation and sustainable growth of Panama’s civil aviation sector, underpinned by Thales’s proven technology and enduring partnership commitment.”
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