Thai Aviation Industries has awarded Rockwell Collins [COL] the second phase of a contract to upgrade the Royal Thai Air Force’s (RTAF) fleet of C-130 aircraft with integrated Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM).
The first phase called for completing the avionics upgrade on six C-130s. Phase 2 will include the avionics system upgrade for the final six aircraft of their C-130 fleet. It will also include a System Integration Laboratory (SIL) to support RTAF’s maintenance of the avionics system and pilot familiarization with the Flight2(tm) system.
Rockwell Collins will deliver the upgraded solution based on the company’s Flight2(tm) avionics system, which includes an Ethernet-based Integrated Processing Center (IPC) with flight management capabilities and large format multifunction liquid crystal displays. Additionally, the upgrade also includes the Rockwell Collins Multi-mode Receiver, TCAS II Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, weather radar, autopilot, as well as communications capabilities consisting of SATCOM, High Frequency (HF) and Very/Ultra High Frequency (V/UHF) radios. This enhancement allows the RTAF C-130 to have unrestricted access to civil airspace by providing required navigation performance compliance and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) capability. The system also supports growth to Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC).
Rockwell Collins’ Flight2 system augments and enhances aircraft operational capabilities by providing an open systems architecture that integrates flight operations with navigation and guidance functions while providing growth for future requirements.
As the prime systems integrator for the RTAF C-130 avionics upgrade, Rockwell Collins supplies technology that prepares the aircraft for changing CNS/ATM requirements as the airspace transitions to Free Flight operations.
This award represents the latest in a number of successful CNS/ATM upgrade programs for Rockwell Collins, including the U.S. Air Force C/KC-135 GATM aircraft fleet upgrade, the U.S. Coast Guard HC-144A (CN-235) avionics, the Navy P-3C and E-2C avionics upgrades, and numerous international C-130 programs.
TAI was formed in 2003 when the Thai Government announced their intent to transform Thailand into an aviation hub in Asia. Expansion of various aviation-related activities increased the demand for aircraft maintenance and repair services, leading to the establishment of TAI as the standard aircraft maintenance and repair center in Thailand. With technical and personnel support from overseas companies, more than 200 TAI engineers and technicians are continuously developing their knowledge and skills. They are now capable of providing maintenance and repair services for both small and large military aircraft such as the PC-9, CT-4 series, C-130, G222, AVRO 748, F-16 and UH-1H.