The ATC network, consisting of six satellite ground stations, will enable IATA to re-open the airspace, which has been closed down for more than 12 years, to civil air traffic. Installation works commenced in late June of 2003 and will be ready for operation by mid-August 2003.

The VSAT network links the Baghdad Air Control Centre with sites at Mosul, Basra, Tallil and Kirkuk and Kuwait. This allocation provides the basis for the ATC network to be imbedded in the "Air Safety Program" in which neighboring countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Syria are already participating.

Major International Airlines such as Lufthansa and Emirates have already expressed their demand for overflight and landing rights. Next to the North Atlantic route, the routes to the Middle East, India and South East Asia are amongst the busiest in the world.

International Air Transport is one of the most dynamic and fast-changing industries in the world. Maintaining and improving air-traffic control systems to build the right conditions for over-flights, installing and commissioning aeronautical telecommunications equipment and training staff to operate it is a major assignment for the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

"In 2000 we commissioned ND SatCom for the implementation of an ATC network in Afghanistan/Pakistan. The ATC network for Iraq is another project that IATA is realizing with ND SatCom. After completion of the first projects, we were convinced that the MF-TDMA SkyWAN technology is ideally suited for Air Traffic control needs." Comments David Behrens, Director Operations IATA South East Asia.

Mr. Rainer Kurz, Key Account Manager Air Traffic Control Systems for ND SatCom adds "ND SatCom was chosen because of its ability to provide an overall cost efficient solution with a very high scalability for future extensions as well as the connectivity and flexibility of the system."

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