Science & Tech
THE Federal Government has implemented Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) to tackle insecurity in the aviation sector.
Mr. Lawrence Pwajok, Acting Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency made the declaration in Abuja on Monday at an interaction with newsmen.
He said the implementation of SBAS would enhance accuracy, integrity, reliability, availability and continuity of air navigation service in continental, remote continental, and in oceanic airspaces.
According to him, the implementation of SBAS will help to address prevailing global economic and security challenges in the aviation sector.
Pwajok emphasised that SBAS was capable of enhancing safety at all phases of flights.
He said the Federal Government had started procuring more primary radar facilities that could detect unauthorised helicopters and other aircraft even if they turned off their transponders.
According to him, facilities already being procured will complement the current secondary radar which does not have the capability to detect low flying aircraft and aircraft that turn off their transponders to avoid being detected.
“With this capability, Nigeria will achieve total radar coverage and no part of Nigeria will be blind to insecurity.
“The primary radar has the capacity to detect every flying object whether it desires to be seen or not, but unfortunately, it requires a whole lot of power and energy.
“All over the world, nobody can deploy a long-range primary radar system.
“For civil aviation, they are deployed within very busy and complex airspaces like Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt,’’ Pwajok said.
He noted that between 2008 and 2009 when the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria was installed, the military was supposed to also have its own primary radar system.
He stated that the huge cost involved in the installation almost made the implementation impossible.
Pwajok explained that simultaneous installation of the facility by both civil aviation and military aviation would have ensured total coverage and both would have been able to interface in usage and derive massive benefits. (NAN)
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Tags: Lawrence Pwajok Satellite Based Augmentation System
