Thales, the world leader in Air Traffic Management, will supply the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an initial five Instrument Landing Systems model 420 (ILS420s) for deployment throughout the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). This order is the first procurement in a five-year contract.

“As the FAA transitions to NextGen, Thales will continue to help support and modernize the FAA’s inventory of navigational aids.”

Tony Lo Brutto, Vice President, Thales ATM U.S.

The ILS420 will provide precise vertical and horizontal navigation guidance to pilots for smooth, safe approach and landing. The system is the most advanced ILS on the market today, surpassing the requirements of the FAA and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for Category III operations. Further, as a result of their high reliability, Thales ILS systems require less maintenance activity than similar technologies on the market.

Currently, the Thales MK20A ILS is the backbone of the U.S. National Airspace System’s precision navigation capability. Today, there are more than 1,250 MK20A and older generation Thales ILS systems deployed in the U.S. Over the next few years, the ILS420 will update legacy ILS technologies, offering precise guidance to thousands of aircraft for safe landing, as well as lower operating costs to users.

Thales is a trusted provider of navigation infrastructure. More than 2,500 Thales navigational aids are operating in the U.S., enabling flight operations in the NAS and paving the way to NextGen. Globally, more than 7,000 Thales navaids are operating across 170 countries.

Key points

• The FAA is deploying the most advanced ILS on the market today.
• Today, there are more than 1,250 Thales ILS systems guiding aircraft in the US.
• In total, more than 2,500 Thales navigational aids are operating in the U.S., enabling flight operations in the NAS and paving the way to NextGen.

Thales press release