New radar tower supports Cranfield Airport’s advanced aviation research

Cranfield University’s Cranfield Airport near Milton Keynes is set to bring a new radar tower into operation next year, enhancing its ability to monitor airspace and support its advanced aviation research.

image: Cranfield Airport

Cranfield Airport functions as both a commercial airfield and a research facility, providing a practical platform for the university’s aviation, aerospace, and air traffic management programs.

The 38m mono-tube radar tower, supplied by Easat Radar Systems and funded by UK Research and Innovation, is the first on-site radar at Cranfield in over 30 years. The new radar will actively detect aircraft in the surrounding airspace, including those not transmitting information.

The radar complements Cranfield’s digital control tower, the UK’s first operational remote tower when it opened in 2018, enabling controllers to separate arriving aircraft by distance rather than time. The system features co-located Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) and Mono-Pulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) designed to track small targets in challenging weather conditions.

“This development will greatly enhance surveillance of local airspace, increasing situational awareness, safety, and airport capacity,” said Rob Abbott, Cranfield Airport Director. “It is a pivotal enabler for supporting research in areas such as complex air mobility systems and is a huge boost to Cranfield Airport’s capabilities.”

Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation at Cranfield University, added: “The new radar will provide richer data and higher-quality information, which is crucial for our advanced research into the future of airspace and aviation.”

Air traffic controllers are undergoing training for the system, including 12 weeks at the Air Traffic College and more than 180 hours of live training on site, while the radar enters its final commissioning phase ahead of next year’s launch.