MTT launches radar profiler

The Radar Device to Measure Atmospheric Wind and Temperature (RWTP) will contribute to aircraft safety

Manama

The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Meteorological Directorate has completed the installation of a Radar Wind and Temperature Profiler that measures wind and temperature in the atmosphere.

Ahmed Al Nemah, the Acting Undersecretary of Civil Aviation Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications (MTT) said that the completion of the project is an important milestone in the Ministry’s strategic plan to develop the Kingdom’s meteorological services, by investing in cutting-edge technology that enables the Meteorological Directorate to closely observe the weather phenomena affecting the takeoff and landing of aircraft, especially in the lower layers of the atmosphere. 

This in turn will contribute to further improving safety at the Bahrain International Airport and strengthening its standing amongst various Airline Companies working in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 

Adel Deham, Director of Meteorology at MTT’s Civil Aviation Affairs, explained that the main function of the radar is to measure the velocity (speed and direction) of the wind in addition to the atmospheric temperature at different altitudes above the runway on a continuous basis, and such information can then be furnished to any requesting airline using Bahrain International Airport for assistance in takeoff or landing.

Deham added that this information would help forecast weather conditions and enable the Meteorological Directorate to issue necessary weather warnings to pilots of aircraft during takeoff and landing, ensuring avoidance of weather- related accidents that can affect the safety of passengers and aircraft.  Helicopters, which are low altitude flying aircraft, will be especially served by this radar.

“The information generated from this device will enable us to expand our database, and can be used in the future in the field of research or to predict the movement of any lingering components in the atmosphere, including harmful gases in the event of any disaster, God forbid, in the Gulf Region,” he said.

The radar data will be one of the main inputs for the Numerical Weather Prediction project, which is one of the MTT’s upcoming projects.