Thales South Africa, part of the global Thales Group, focuses on the security of citizens, infrastructure and nations. Its latest offering is the airport operation control centre (AOCC), which is an integration of all of its security systems, to enable airports to make decisions more effectively.

“AOCC integrates the whole plethora of airport security systems, including closed-circuit television cameras and access control systems that are integrated in such a way that they work in a collaborative manner,” says Thales SA air traffic management specialist Norman Matinya, adding that security systems need to be unobstructive to promote the passenger flow of airports.

The safety of air travel has always been a priority for government and security personnel. Therefore, terrorist activities such as the 9/11 World Trade Center served as a catalyst for the enhancement of airport security and more effective protection for people and economies. The aim remains ensuring the safe and efficient travel of passengers, as well as the secure transport of goods, he explains.

The aviation industry is the gateway to an economically sustainable country and it is imperative that security measures are in place to ensure passenger travelling increases, which translates into the economic develop- ment of countries, increasing their gross domestic product.

“Many African airports still rely heavily on personnel for security and still have a long way to go to catch up with the likes of the US. Passenger expectations are the same worldwide and governments are investing more in airport safety, as it must always stay a step ahead of security breeches such as human trafficking, . . . and the smuggling of illicit goods,” says Matinya.

The Thales group supplied 70% of the air traffic management systems, in Africa, as well as the securit of major airports in the world, such as Dubai International Airport, which handles twice as many passengers as OR Tambo International Airport, in Johannesburg. The latter handles 20-million passengers a year. Thales has installed 10 000 access- control systems, 1 500 Internet Protocol network cameras and 7 000 km of cabling at Dubai International Airport.

“South Africa’s airports are some of the fastest-growing airports in the world and some of the country’s neighbouring countries rely on our aviation for export and import,” he says.