Air traffic research centre coming

[SINGAPORE] An agreement was signed yesterday to set up in Singapore an air traffic management (ATM) research and development (R&D) centre for the Asia-Pacific.

The signatories of the Statement of Intent are the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and The MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit body which runs R&D centres backed by the US federal government.

MITRE Asia-Pacific in Singapore (Maps) will have more than US$100 million in funding over the next decade for research into improving airspace and operational safety. With air traffic in the region set to triple by 2030, the centre will aim to bring standards in ATM up to a common level in the region, said Lillian Ryals, MITRE's senior vice-president.