Avinor and Frequentis Signs Contract for Future Tower System

The current tower system at Oslo Airport was introduced in the late 1990s and has been continuously developed and upgraded to meet new needs and requirements. 

"Now there is a need to replace the existing system due to limited remaining lifespan, lack of supplier support, and new European regulatory requirements," says Abraham Foss, CEO of Avinor.  

The project to introduce a new and modern tower system at Oslo Airport has now completed the tender process, and the contract was awarded to Frequentis AG, headquartered in Vienna, Austria. 

"Frequentis stood out as the best provider on all quality criteria and has presented good solutions that meet the competition's requirements. Their offer is thorough, relevant, and provides good comprehensive answers to all requirements," says Foss 

“We feel honoured and fully committed to extending our strong long-term partnership with Avinor which will continue to foster close cooperation and drive innovation to the mutual benefit of both companies,” said Norbert Haslacher, CEO Frequentis. “Our solution will help Avinor meet rising capacity demands in a unified and modern approach to tower operations nationwide while maintaining the highest safety standards.” 

A System for the Next 20-30 Years 
The future tower system will cover existing and new needs for 20-30 years. 

"The system must be flexible and able to adapt to international requirements and new technology. In addition, it should facilitate reliable and cost-effective tower service at Oslo Airport," says Foss.  

The goal is to establish a forward-looking system for tower systems at Avinor and implement it at Oslo Airport. This will ensure the system quickly goes into full production, achieving planned operational efficiency, benefits, and satisfaction for users and employees. The solution enables Oslo Airport to prepare for future traffic scenarios and allows airports across Norway to handle future traffic volumes. 

What is a Tower System? 

A "tower system" is an integrated IT system with all the tools an air traffic controller needs to provide air traffic control services at an airport. This includes both air traffic around the airport and on the ground. 

The primary purpose of the tower system is to create an overview of the traffic so it can be handled safely. Furthermore, the system should contribute to handling traffic efficiently and orderly. 

Expandable to More Towers 
The signed contract can be expanded to include towers at other Avinor airports. The rollout to other towers will be considered further. 

This project is one of several Avinor projects aimed at facilitating greater digitalization of current airspace control. The current Air Traffic Management (ATM) system is to be replaced at all of Avinor's control centers and towers. The strategy is to replace the existing system with either Remote Towers technology at the local airports, or the future tower system Frequentis will develop under this contract at the airports with higher traffic volumes. 

"The future tower system is a central piece in realizing the vision for future airspace control, where we will digitalize and change our operational concepts to meet the future. Overall, the replacement of these systems will ensure safe and efficient airspace over Europe and that Norway meets the goals set in the EU's Single European Sky legislative package," concludes Foss.