Singapore signs SG$8.4 million contract with McMurdo for Search and Rescue ground system

Image courtesy of McMurdo

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have signed a contract worth SG$8.4 million with McMurdo, a subsidiary of Resilient Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) company Orolia.

Under the contract, McMurdo will provide Singapore with a new Medium-altitude Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) ground system to enhance the country’s Search-and-Rescue (SAR) capabilities. This will include a six-channel Medium-altitude Earth Orbit Local User Terminal (MEOLUT) system, a mission control centre, and a command-and-control platform for SAR incidents.

The system is expected to be fully operational in 2018, and will replace Singapore’s current Low-altitude Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (LEOSAR) ground system. With the new system, Singapore will have access to more satellites and greater accuracy in detecting and locating distressed parties.

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Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS, said, “We are committed to ensuring that prompt assistance is available to persons in distress within the Singapore Search and Rescue Region. The acquisition of the improved space-based system will enhance our search and rescue capabilities”.

Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, added, “In any search and rescue mission, time is of the essence. The new MEOSAR system will allow us to detect and locate the distress party more accurately for the expeditious deployment of assets to save lives”.

“Singapore has always envisaged adopting new technologies to enhance its search and rescue system and leveraging the MEOSAR system’s capability to detect beacons more quickly,” said Chris Loizou, Chief Business Development Officer for Orolia. “McMurdo is proud to continue its 12-year relationship with Singapore in providing the latest search and rescue technology to help save lives.”

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