Thales Australia has officially open its CASIA air traffic management research and development centre in Melbourne.
State Minister for the Aviation Industry, Gordon Rich-Phillips, officially opened the new facility today (May 17), known as the Centre for Advanced Studies in Air Traffic Management (or CASIA). Partly funded by the Victorian government, CASIA will be used in developing next generation air traffic management systems, with Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins highlighting the lucrative export potential of the new centre.
“We have expanded to become a global powerhouse that has delivered an advanced ATM system to Australia, and secured more than $1 billion of exports to over 50 countries including China, South Africa, Mexico and the Philippines,” Jenkins said.
“CASIA is the next chapter in this story, and will play a key role in global research efforts on improving air traffic management. It will be closely integrated with research and development underway in Europe under the Single European Sky (SESAR) program and the US Next Gen ATM program, enabling world leading research from both Europe and the US to be adapted for the Asia Pacific region,” he added
Rich-Phillips also lent his support, noting the export opportunities such a centre would have in Melbourne. “The next generation air traffic management product, under way by Thales in Melbourne, will be supplied to the world market and is expected to achieve up to $1 billion in export sales for Victoria,” he said.
