Spanish ANSP Enaire has commissioned a primary radar at Gran Canaria Airport to enhance coverage and surveillance during approaches, take-offs, and landings at the airport
The 3D primary radar, which was commissioned during November 2024 is capable of detecting traffic within a 185km (115 mile). This type of radar strengthens the air traffic detection capabilities of the current secondary radar (Mode S) at Gran Canaria Airport, providing the necessary and obligatory reliability for surveillance in the event of potential failures or interruptions in the transponders aboard aircraft.
The installation and commissioning of this radar is part of a project that includes the operational deployment of three other 3D primary radars, with a total investment of €20,898,529.
The new radar replaces the previous civil primary radar, installed in 2011, and represents a significant advancement in the technology used, transitioning from a 2D primary radar to a 3D radar.
The radar features a radiation pattern based on electronic beams, which can be used to discriminate detections by altitude. This, along with advanced signal processing of detections, will improve its performance in the presence of wind turbines, a renewable energy source that is prevalent in the surrounding area.
The installation is part of a procurement project to deploy four 3D primary radars, with a total investment of approximately €21 million.
With the introduction of the new primary radar, the surveillance systems at Gran Canaria, which already included a Mode S secondary radar with digital receivers and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers, are now fully equipped with the latest technology, further enhancing safety in the airspace of the Canary Islands.
Made by Indra, it is the second radar of its kind to be deployed in ENAIRE’s surveillance network.