Airservices Australia and the Australian Department of Defence have signed contracts signifying a major milestone in unifying the nation’s civil and military air traffic management (ATM) systems.

The new system, featuring real-time traffic prediction tools, is being developed in partnership by Airservices and Defence with Thales Australia. Thales describes the system as the world’s most advanced and integrated civil and military air traffic management system

The centrepiece of the $1.2bn programme — designed to enhance safety while reducing flight times and delays for the travelling public — will be a system known as the Civil Military Air Traffic Control System (CMATS).

The system will use the latest cutting-edge technology to improve flight co-ordination, safely increase the use of airspace, optimise air traffic flow and improve the way planes approach the runway, Thales explains.

For the first time, civil and military air traffic controllers will share the same integrated air traffic management system, using the same information to jointly manage the 11% of the world’s airspace for which Australia is responsible.

Implementation of CMATS has already started under advanced work orders, including installation of the first phase of the new Voice Communication System, which is due to be commissioned later this year. The system requirements review was completed in January.

Thales says that the development and delivery of OneSKY will support 450 highly skilled, high-tech jobs with Thales in Melbourne plus around 200 additional jobs in the company's Australian supply chain.