15 July 2010
Thales Australia has won a prestigious 2010 Consensus Software Award for its Java Human Machine Interface (JHMI) Engine – the building block of the company’s innovative air traffic management solutions.
The JHMI Engine, which is part of the company’s Eurocat air traffic management system, was evaluated by a panel of respected software industry practitioners. Their citation read: “The human challenge of managing the ever increasing complexity of aircraft movements on a global scale has been impeccably and elegantly addressed by Thales’ new JHMI. The system has been internationally recognised for its innovation, performance and market potential… JHMI proves Australian leadership in mission critical technological development”.
Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia’s CEO, said the award recognises the company’s strengths in software and engineering.
“Thales is at the forefront of technology across a wide range of disciplines. Our air traffic management business leads the world in developing systems that ensure the safety of thousands of flights and millions of people every year. These systems require in-depth software expertise and an enduring commitment to innovation – skills which this award has recognised.”
The high performance, flexible and configurable JHMI Engine provides a complete framework for air situation display applications. Its layered component-based architecture allows for deployment in entire system replacements or as an upgrade to existing systems. The software incorporates OpenGL for high performance graphics that provide advanced capabilities for the presentation of information to air traffic controllers. The design of the system is highly reliable, scalable, and adaptable to a broad range of system sizes and complexities.
The JHMI Engine is the basis for three current products: the award-winning Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) system; the pilot module in the Eurocat simulator; and the tactical display component in Thales’s next generation air traffic management automation system.
Thales’s ATFM system was recently deployed by Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) in South Africa, and provided faultless service during the heavy demands of the FIFA World Cup 2010. The system provided ATNS with an innovative solution that provided timely and accurate information on any event affecting the flow of air traffic and airspace capacity.
The Consensus Software Awards are recognised as the pre-eminent awards for software developers across Australia and New Zealand. They exist to reward excellence in Australian and New Zealand software design, and to grow and strengthen software development in Australasia. The awards are certified and supported by Austrade, NZ Trade & Enterprise, the Australian Computer Society and the New Zealand Computer Society.
About Thales Air Traffic Management
Thales is world leader in ATM systems and civil radars, and has a 70% market share in the navigation aids market. Thales offers integrated gate-to-gate solutions, from pre-flight to landing, ensuring airport safety, efficient traffic handling operations, data sharing on aircraft and seamless handover operations between territories. There are more than 260 Eurocat centres, totalling some 4,000 controller positions in service throughout the world. Thales is involved in the key SESAR program in Europe, in which it is the largest industrial contributor, as well as the NextGen program in the USA.
About Thales
Thales is a global technology leader for the Defence & Security and the Aerospace & Transport markets. In 2009, the company generated revenues of €12.9 billion (equivalent of AUD 22.7 billion) with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 22,500 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners. www.thalesgroup.com
Thales Australia is a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force and is also present in commercial sectors ranging from air traffic management to security systems and services. Employing around 3,500 people in over 35 sites across the country, Thales Australia recorded revenues of more than AUD1 billion in 2009.
Press contact
Julian Elliott
Thales Australia
+61 (0)2 9562 3716
+61 (0)401 134 415
julian.elliott@thalesgroup.com.au