US supports Vietnam in air traffic management

The agreement focuses on building advanced concepts of operations (ConOps) and functional requirements for air traffic management automation system and requirements of air traffic flow management system in Vietnam

According to the VATM, the agreement contents were approved by the Ministry of Transport on August 15. The agreement is implemented by the U.S. Government through the USTDA, and the VATM is the recipient.

Under the deal, the USTDA will provide the grantee with US$3 million for technical assistance for building advanced concepts of operations and functional requirements for air traffic management automation system and requirements of air traffic flow management system in Vietnam. The U.S.'s MITRE Corporation will be the technical support provider.

Disbursement of the funding will be made directly by the USTDA to the MITRE. Payment will be made in accordance with the deliverables approval by the VATM.

The VATM said that the assistance aims to provide functional requirements and technical specifications that an air traffic flow management system (ATFM) needs for integrated delivery and enable VATM to meet Vietnam's unique ATFM operational requirements.

It also provides functional requirements and technical specifications that the VATM needs to upgrade and purchase the ATFM system in short, medium and long terms.

Other objectives include defining the ConOps of the air traffic management (ATM) automation system and the high-level functional requirements for modernizing the ATM automation systems with integration into the vision of the air traffic flow management system and airspace design, while helping the VATM develop specific requirements and technical details of the ATM system to obtain air traffic management automation systems that best suit Vietnam's flight information region (FIR) airspace design, and ensuring that operations and air traffic management systems and air traffic flow management systems in Vietnam are integrated.

Earlier in September 2017, the USTDA provided technical assistance worth over $915,000 to Vietnam to develop a master plan on air traffic flow management in Vietnam.

Established in 1961, the USTDA is an independent agency of the U.S. Government, aiming to promote the economic development and trade interests of the U.S. in developing and middle-income countries. It also helps U.S. businesses export their products and services, thereby creating jobs.