Bahrain International Airport relies on the Thales – SITA consortium to enhance security of 14 million passengers

With 14 million passengers a year expected by 2020, Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications has chosen Thales and SITA to provide the security and operations management system for Bahrain International Airport. The Airport Modernisation Programme was launched in 2015 with an overall aim to elevate Bahrain International Airport’s infrastructure and services and make it one of the most important hubs for tourism and services.

Key Points

• Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication has chosen Thales and SITA to provide the airport security and operations management system as part of the Bahrain International Airport’s Modernization Programme.
• The contract calls for the complete design and implementation of airport systems to keep pace with growth in traffic, forecast to reach 14 million passengers a year by 2020.
• Bahrain International Airport aims to become one of the most important regional economic hubs for tourism and services.

This ongoing programme includes the construction of a new passenger terminal and the expansion and refurbishment of the existing terminal. With a growing passenger flow, airport authorities face two challenges: enhancing the security and safety of all the passengers, airlines and staff, and making the airport operations more manageable and more efficient.

As the master system integrator, Thales will deliver an innovative and trusted security system ensuring continuity of operations, centralising the airport operations management and meeting all of the safety and security requirements. Thanks to smart data processing, the system will provide the operators with a real time security and operations situation awareness. This security system will be embedded with all the cutting-edge technologies needed for airport management such as smart video-protection, access control and biometrics, IT and telecommunication infrastructures. The airport operators will rely on decision support tools and procedures to enable for a better and faster response time in case of emergency. The system will also allow operators to monitor airport performances.  

As a major player in cybersecurity and a world leader in data protection, Thales will finally ensure end-to-end protection of the global solution, providing real time counter-measures against the most sophisticated cyber-attacks.

Thales leverages its international expertise to serve airports with best-of-breed integrated solutions maximising operational performance whilst securing infrastructures, information and the people.

« Thales is a world leader in airport security providing smart airport solutions.
We are convinced that rather than simply adding more cameras and sensors, the strength of security and operations management solution lies in the use of smart technologies, enabling operators to monitor all areas of the airport, optimise its performances and make faster, more informed data-driven decisions. »
Marc Darmon,  Executive Vice President of Thales, Secure communications and information systems.