Keeping KIA's navigational equipment operating 24 hours a day, all year round - often in the most arduous conditions – is a mammoth task. For the highly motivated people at the DGCA's Navigational Equipment Department, however, it's all a matter of routine as they work to maintain the airport's reputation as one of the most advanced gateways in the Gulf.

Navigational equipment at KIA is second-to-none, featuring a primary approach radar with 250-mile-range monopoles secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) capability, CAT II ILS on both parallel runways and radio beacons that locate aircraft positions in relation to the airport. A new ATC centre will be constructed and new equipment installed to satisfy ICAO requirements. The Navigational Equipment Department is also responsible for the AFTN system that sends messages to all airports that are connected with KIA.

The hi-tech systems ensure that KIA can easily handle current traffic levels – over 42,000 aircraft movements in 2005 alone – with capacity to spare for future expansion. Nevertheless, the Department constantly reviews its inventory to ensure all systems are up-to-date. All the equipment employed at KIA features extensive flexibility as standard and can be readily upgraded using advanced software to enhance performance and capabilities. Plans are already in place to upgrade KIA's Aeronautical Information System (AIS) to ensure an improved service to air crew.

Furthermore, co-operation with the Meteorology Department's project to gather high-level weather data direct from aircraft avionics via digital data link should ensure success in this venture. At the regional level, the department is a key player in the taskforce working to implement a single air navigation solution across the MID-region, part of ICAO's long-term project for the transition to satellite-based CNS/ATM, which is expected to be reality around 2015.

Another positive impact on operations will be a move to the new KIA Control Centre complex, part of the KIA Master Plan. Combining all the airport's communications and air traffic management functions within a single state-of-the-art hub is anticipated to further enhance efficiency and cross-departmental capabilities to the benefit of all.

And currently several projects are being executed to contribute to the development of the communications systems and data transfer at Kuwait International Airport, the projects are as follows :

1. Communication System project at Kuwait International Airport, this project contains the latest technology in communications systems for monitoring air space at Kuwait International Airport.

2. Air Traffic Management System (ATM Project) for managing all Communications, Radar Systems, and transferring of airline schedules and meteorological information through an advanced network.

3. Kuwait Airport Data Interchange Network (KADIN Project) this project is intended to link all the Air navigation Systems through a sophisticated network to serve all the beneficiaries at Kuwait International Airport.

4. A new Air Traffic Radar (SELEX) has been recently installed and currently in operation with the existing (Thales) Radar to ensure the safety of air traffic at Kuwait International Airport.

5. We recently started implementation of a new Instrument Landing System project (ILS- CAT III B) according to the latest technology in the field of Navigational Aids Systems.