ST. MARTIN -- St. Martin, was one of the Caribbean islands badly impacted by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The air traffic and airport infrastructure were particularly affected and the country has been working to restore its primary means of transportation to and from the island. For this reason St. Martin’s SXM Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM Airport) chose to rely on Thales to help them fulfil their ambition of quickly returning the island to its pristine natural beauty, and to once again enjoy their status as one of the world’s foremost tourist destinations.

SXM Airport's ambition is to go beyond restoration of services and has chosen the most advanced systems on the market to position the island paradise as a future hub for air transport for the eastern Caribbean.

The program, which is scheduled to be deployed in seven months, will see the implementation of the TopSky-ATC and STAR NG primary radar co-mounted with the Thales RSM970S secondary radar. This will provide controllers with the latest in automation & radar technologies, and be instrumental in bringing back more airline traffic, as St. Martin and its neighboring islands recover from the damage caused by the hurricanes and once again start welcoming holidaymakers.

Jean Marc Alias, Thales Vice President, Air Traffic Management Operations, said "All of our customers have big ambitions, it's why they choose Thales, but it’s rare to see the determination and vision displayed by SXM Princess Juliana International Airport. Thales is honored to be chosen to help them in their ambition to go beyond restoring their country but to reaffirm their position as regional hub for air transport. Thales pledges to do whatever it takes to help St. Martin accomplish this mission."

After Dominican Republic, Jamaica & Aruba, St. Martin will become the 4th user of TopSky ATC in the Caribbean region. With over 200 radars and 30 air traffic control centers in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay and as well as navigation aids (Navaids) systems in operation in nearly all the countries of the region, Thales confirms its strong leadership in Latin America & the Caribbean. The choice of deploying advanced ATM systems is a testament to their wish to reinforce the island’s position as the air transport hub for the eastern Caribbean, and serve the needs of the entire region.

Ruben Lazo, Thales Vice President Latin America, said "Thales is proud to be chosen by St. Martin to help them fulfill their ambition of returning the island to its natural beauty and safety. As the leader in ATC Radars in Latin America, Thales reinforces its commitment to the region, adding another important reference in St. Martin."

Source: Thales