Defence and Airservices sign operating level agreement

The Defence Materiel Organisation is leading a project to ensure all military and commercial aircraft will be guided to the landing tarmac in the future by one national Air Traffic Management (ATM) system shared by military and civilian air traffic controllers.

Australia currently manages air traffic with two separate systems, one run by the military and the other run by civilian controllers

Airservices and the Department of Defence have signed an Operating Level Agreement which governs the relationship between the two organisations for the acquisition and support of a new ATM system for Australia.

The agreement is a key milestone in the project to procure a single ATM system for military and civilian use as both organisations’ systems are approaching their end of life.

Both parties have approached the market for the acquisition and support of ATM systems and services.

Air Commodore Mike Walkington, of the DMO, said that the agreement augments the relationship and agreements Air Force had with Airservices and provides specific arrangements for acquisition and sustainment.

The signing of the agreement follows an industry request for information in 2010 and a supplier briefing in late 2011.