NEC Corporation, a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies, has announced the signing of a contract with the Department of Civil Aviation of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar for aircraft surveillance systems, including radar for air traffic control, for international airports in the leading cities of Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw, for a total of approximately 2.3 billion yen (nearly 21 million USD), according to a press release.

The number of passengers and volume of cargo passing through airports in Myanmar has increased significantly in recent years due to the expansion of economic activities and an increase in the number of tourists, including many from Japan, due to relaxing visa requirements. In 2013, the total number of passengers at airports in Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw was approximately 6.5 million. However, in 2017, the number of passengers increased to 7.26 million. Cargo volume is expanding as well. Yangon Airport, for example, processed 24,000 tons of cargo in 2013, but this figure more than doubled to approximately 55,000 tons in 2017.

On the other hand, these three airports are facing challenges in terms of safety and efficiency due to a lack of radar equipment and ageing systems. In order to resolve this, NEC will provide radars for air traffic control, information processing systems and other solutions through Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

By the end of October 2021, NEC will install Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR), which can detect the distance and bearing of aircraft, Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR), which can obtain detailed operational information from aircraft, and a Multi-Sensor Data Processing System (MSDPS), which uses information obtained from radars, as part of improving the safety and efficiency of Myanmar's air traffic control services.