Brazilian Air Force aircraft. Photo: WikiMedia Commons.

[Via Satellite 06-21-2016] Vocality and RSA Engineering have completed a replacement of the obsolete satellite-based communications system used for Air Traffic Control (ATC) voice and data services throughout Brazilian airspace. This satellite-based communications system provides almost all voice and data services to Brazilian Air Force Command (COMAER) through 111 stations installed throughout Brazil.

The new system also had to meet the increased capacity for the data load requirements that have grown exponentially since 2000. The use of Vocality’s next-generation technology, coupled with new satellite modems, provided approximately a 90 percent reduction in the satellite bandwidth used by each station. The updated system can now support up to 10 times more data, without increasing satellite bandwidth requirements. This resulted in an expected $5,000,000 Brazilian real savings in leased capacity from the PAME-RJ satellite bandwidth providers.

Smart remote monitoring and control capability allows a change in the preventive maintenance model of remote stations, reducing the need for on-site technicians for more than 80 percent of the maintenance procedures. Given the remote nature of the Brazilian deployments, this increases system uptime, while reducing ongoing costs.