Thales Receives U.S. FAA Order for ILS420, Latest Generation Instrument Landing System

Thales, the world leader in Air Traffic Management, will supply the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an initial five Instrument Landing Systems model 420 (ILS420s) for deployment throughout the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). This order is the first procurement in a five-year contract.

The ILS420 will provide precise vertical and horizontal navigation guidance to pilots for smooth, safe approach and landing. The system is the most advanced ILS on the market today, surpassing the requirements of the FAA and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for Category III operations. Further, as a result of their high reliability, Thales ILS systems require less maintenance activity than similar technologies on the market.

Currently, the Thales MK20A ILS is the backbone of the U.S. National Airspace System’s precision navigation capability. Today, there are more than 1,250 MK20A and older generation Thales ILS systems deployed in the U.S. Over the next few years, the ILS420 will update legacy ILS technologies, offering precise guidance to thousands of aircraft for safe landing, as well as lower operating costs to users.