Thales supports air traffic system upgrades in Malaysia and the Philippines

Thales is supporting air traffic upgrades in Malaysia and the Philippines, with a focus on surveillance, resilience, and cybersecurity as airspace demands grow.

Air traffic authorities across Southeast Asia are updating core systems as growing traffic, digital risks, and operational pressure reshape how airspace is managed. Recent projects in Malaysia and the Philippines show how this shift is playing out on the ground, with a focus on surveillance coverage, system reliability, and cybersecurity.

In Malaysia, work is underway at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru to update its radar infrastructure. The airport, which serves about five million passengers a year, is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). The upgrade is intended to improve aircraft monitoring during approach and to feed more accurate surveillance data into the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre.

The project involves replacing Senai's existing secondary surveillance radar with Thales' RSM NG system. Installation is planned to take place with minimal impact on day-to-day airport operations. Once in service, the radar will join a broader surveillance setup that includes two Thales systems, extending coverage across Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. This wider footprint is meant to help controllers maintain consistent aircraft tracking in different operating and weather conditions.

The RSM NG radar is built to provide real-time data from cooperative aircraft, supporting both routine airspace monitoring and national oversight. Its meta-sensor design is intended to improve how aircraft are identified and tracked, even when signals are disrupted by interference, jamming, or spoofing. Cybersecurity protections are also built into the system to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive surveillance data.

Alongside the radar upgrade, two ADS-B stations will be installed to add another layer of coverage. These systems are expected to improve aircraft detection and support smoother coordination of air movements in the surrounding airspace.

According to Florian Riou, Country Director of Thales in Malaysia, the work supports CAAM's wider digital plans for aviation, combining local knowledge with updated surveillance systems to strengthen day-to-day operations.

A separate effort is underway in the Philippines, where Thales has signed a contract with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) as part of a long-term air traffic management program. The agreement covers upgrades to existing hardware and software, as well as the addition of new functions aimed at addressing operational and cyber risks.

One of the central elements of the Philippine project is a Disaster Recovery System. This will serve as a backup environment to keep essential air traffic management services running if the primary system is disrupted. The upgraded platform is designed to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements and align with current international standards.

The initial phase is expected to improve system continuity and safety across Philippine airspace. Full implementation is planned for early 2027, at which point CAAP is expected to operate an updated air traffic management setup that meets current technical and regulatory expectations.

Retired Lieutenant General Raul Del Rosario, Director General of CAAP, said the project is intended to future-proof the country's aviation system as air traffic volumes continue to grow, while ensuring safety, resilience, and long-term efficiency.

Thales has supported air traffic management in the Philippines for more than 20 years. Mayuran Sundaramoorthy, Country Director of Thales in the Philippines, said the latest agreement builds on that work by adding digital systems and cybersecurity measures suited to increasingly complex airspace.

Taken together, the Malaysia and Philippines projects reflect a wider regional effort to update air traffic surveillance and control systems. Across Southeast Asia, aviation authorities are investing in more resilient and secure infrastructure to manage future growth while maintaining safety and operational stability.