RAF Lossiemouth air traffic control tower would be world first
REVAMP plans for RAF Lossiemouth could see it become the world's first military airfield with digital air traffic control capability.
A digital tower will be built at the base in a "demonstration project" as the RAF investigates new concepts and capabilities, which could eventually change the way military air traffic control is conducted.
The Saab UK Ltd technology is similar to that used at some civilian airports, such as London City, where air traffic is controlled from a centre 80 miles away.
At RAF Lossiemouth, a series of wide and zoom lens cameras will give a 360-degree view of the airfield, allowing on-site controllers to monitor the whole airfield through communication links.
The technology is regarded as a breakthrough in civilian aviation – and equally opens up possibilities for military airfields. It was introduced in 2015 in Sweden when Örnsköldsvik Airport became the first airport in the world with remote air traffic control.
There are plans to replace the traditional air traffic control tower at RAF Lossiemouth – one of the older buildings at the station – as part of the RAF Lossiemouth Development Programme. Some £470 million is being spent on an air traffic control tower, runway resurfacing and accommodation.
Air-Vice Marshal Simon Rochelle, chief of staff for capability, said: "The RAF is collaborating with Saab to develop RAF Lossiemouth’s digital tower demonstrator which will enable us to explore how we could modernise our air traffic services fit for a next generation air force."
An RAF Lossiemouth spokesman said: "This sort of digital technology has only been implemented at civilian airfields. If built at RAF Lossiemouth, this would be the first military airfield with a digital air traffic control capability.
"At present the programme is looking at all of the options available, which include replacing the tower and introducing a digital capability or both. There is quite a lot of work that needs to happen before we know which of these options will be selected.
"We are in very early stages of this project. Once this demonstrator is up and running, it will give us an idea of how, and where, is best to construct the digital tower."
