Categoria: News

Sigonella is a military base located in Sicily, jointly used by the Italian and US Air Force. The base is about to undergo a modernisation process that includes the complete restructuring of the APP (Approach) facilities. SITTI is here upgrading the voice management infrastructure.

SITTI will provide the Sigonella base with a Voice Communication System (VCS) belonging the standard-compliant MULTIFONO® M800IP® family and an integrated Voice Recording & Replay System (VRS). This latter allows recording of the audio of all channels available to the controllers (and related signalling) plus their radar screens in a synchronised manner.

Meantime the APP building is restructured, APP and main radar services will be provided by a sheltered temporary facility connected to the global IP network, where controllers have access to all communication features needed for accomplishing their tasks. New controller working positions (CWP) are also part of the supply.

SITTI systems are well suited for civil as well as military usage, wherever safe, efficient, reliable communication is required, thus confirming SITTI as a one-stop supplier for Air Traffic Control needs.

The convergence of voice and data into one multimedia network is nowadays a consolidated reality, based on IP networks and related technology that fulfil all operational and technical ATM communication requirements. Analogue connections are therefore on their way to be phased out by ANSPs and replaced by VoIP (Voice over IP) links.

The work commissioned by ENAV for the ACC in Padua follows this general worldwide trend. Existing analogue MFC connections that have been successfully used for decades to interconnect remote centres are now to be upgraded to standard VoIP links using the renowned ED137 standard developed by EUROCAE. This standard is being deployed all over the globe, wherever standard ATM/ATC voice communication is concerned, although its importance is extending to other application fields as well, for safe, secure, standard, reliable voice communications.

The VCS (Voice Communication System) by SITTI installed at Padua ACC has therefore been upgraded by removing the old fashioned MFC analogue interface boards with new standard-compliant VoIP boards ensuring technologically advanced connections to Vienna (AustroControl) in redundant configuration.

The new standard VoIP connection between Padua and Vienna has been thoroughly tested according to the provisions of the ED137 standard. All tests passed positively, thus proving the conformance of ENAV systems to the top-edge achievements in the ATM/ATC field, confirming ENAV as one of the most technologically advanced ANSPs in the world.

The cooperation between civil and military air traffic controllers is of fundamental importance for ensuring safe and coordinated management of flights. The Italian ACCs (Area Control Centres) therefore also include controller positions that are run by military staff, thus having the strictly interact with operators dealing with civil aircraft.

ENAV, the Italian civil ANSP, have planned to move the management of airspace sectors from Brindisi to Rome-Ciampino as part of their industrial investment plan. This implies the need to also move the control of military sectors accordingly and to guarantee, without interruption and without jeopardizing the current capacity in terms of movements per hour, the provision of Air Traffic Control services.

SITTI has been therefore asked to develop a transition plan that will allow the mentioned move of the responsibility of airspace sector BRN (North Brindisi Area) from Brindisi to Ciampino, without compromising the current SCC/AM (Servizi Coordinamento e Controllo / Aeronautica Militare) capacity of both sites.

The plan envisages the extension of the voice handling facilities of the MULTIFONO® M800IP® VCS (SITTI Voice Communication System) in Ciampino to cope with the radio and telephone connections originally attested in Brindisi. New Controller Working Positions are also added to the Ciampino site for the proper management of the sectors over Southern Italy.

The transition of the remaining sector BRS (South Brindisi Area) is planned for the beginning of 2026.

Once these have been activated, both sites will be capable of controlling the airspace in parallel for a limited period of time, until the Brindisi facility will be shut down.

SITTI has successfully equipped the Fire Brigade with a cutting-edge communication system for their new operational centre in Naples, further demonstrating its versatility and dedication to excellence. This advanced system, part of SITTI’s comprehensive product portfolio, ensures dependable and efficient management of emergency situations, thereby strengthening the long-standing partnership between SITTI and the Fire Brigade, which has adopted SITTI solutions throughout the national territory over the years.

The new Operations Centre was inaugurated on November 28, 2024, in a ceremony attended by key stakeholders and authorities. This achievement underlines SITTI’s key role in providing high-performance communication systems for any strategic services requiring secure and solid controlled communication.

The system provided by SITTI is the state-of-the-art M800IP® Voice Communication System (VCS), which includes a redundant COTS server solution and complementary devices, such as the GPS master clock, webcams, video call facilities, and other auxiliary services.

The operational room for the Fire Brigade’s general direction in Naples represents a significant advancement in the modernization of the service and sets the stage for future installations aimed at enhancing support for citizens in emergency situations.

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** VERSIONE ITALIANA **

SITTI ha fornito con successo ai Vigili del Fuoco un avanzato sistema di comunicazione per il loro nuovo centro operativo a Napoli, ancora una volta dimostrando la versatilità dei propri prodotti. Questo sistema tecnologicamente all’avanguadia è parte dell’ampio portafoglio prodotti SITTI e garantisce una gestione affidabile ed efficiente delle situazioni di emergenza, rafforzando così la partnership di lunga data tra SITTI e i Vigili del Fuoco, che negli anni hanno adottato soluzioni SITTI su tutto il territorio nazionale.

Il nuovo Centro Operativo è stato inaugurato il 28 novembre 2024, con una cerimonia alla quale hanno partecipato anche molte autorità. Questo risultato sottolinea il ruolo chiave di SITTI nel fornire sistemi di comunicazione ad alte prestazioni per tutti i servizi strategici che richiedono comunicazioni sicure, affidabili e controllate.

Il sistema fornito da SITTI è il sistema di comunicazione vocale (VCS) M800IP® basato su una soluzione server COTS ridondante e dotato di apparati supplementari, come un orologio connesso al sistema satellitare GPS, webcam, servizi di videochiamata, eccetera.

La sala operativa della Direzione Generale dei Vigili del Fuoco di Napoli rappresenta un significativo avanzamento nel percorso di ammodernamento del servizio e pone le basi per futuri allestimenti volti a potenziare il supporto ai cittadini in situazioni di emergenza.

At the beginning of October, SITTI hosted the Greek commission that had the task of preparing and carrying out the FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) of the ordered systems. The commission had the opportunity of having “hands on” one of the VCS systems (Voice Communication System) that will be installed in Greece in the frame of a large project covering many sites. Recorders have been included as well.

The Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP) have been approved, thus permitting the prosecution of the activities envisaged in the contract between SITTI and HASP (the Hellenic Aviation Service Provider).

“We have been very committed to the good outcome of the visit by HASP.” – Mr. Panzeri, SITTI Program Manager, said – “Its positive completion once more testifies the robustness, flexibility, reliability of our systems that will give the customer top-edge functionality for a safer flight management over Greece.”