Leidos to modernise Kazakhstan air traffic management system to support rapid aviation growth

Building on more than 20 years of supporting Kazakhstan’s aviation operations, Leidos has signed a contract with Kazaeronavigatsia (KAN), the country’s air navigation service provider, to modernise its air traffic control system. The upgrade aims to accommodate the significant growth projected in Kazakhstan’s aviation sector.

Leidos will refresh hardware and implement its SkyLine-X Air Traffic Management system, providing controllers with end-to-end surveillance, improved safety functions, and streamlined operations. The system features a common automation platform with modular and open architecture designed to be resilient, user-friendly, and adaptable for future needs.

“Over the past 20 years, Leidos has been more than a supplier; they have been a strategic ally,” said Faat Bogdashkin, Director General of Kazaeronavigatsia. “They have consistently anticipated our needs and involved their solutions to help us navigate a changing market. We look forward to continuing our successful cooperation with Leidos on the Air Traffic Management System modernisation with SkyLine-X. It is important to meet our mission to safely manage the growing volume of air traffic in Kazakhstan.”

The agreement spans a 19-year period and includes work at four control centres and 21 towers across the country.

“We value the trust we’ve built over the past two decades working with KAN,” said Liz Porter, Leidos Health and Civil Sector president. “The skies over Kazakhstan are key to international flight paths and this upgrade helps support the country’s safe and reliable air traffic system and allows controllers to continue managing the airspace with increased confidence.”

Kazakhstan’s government expects annual passenger traffic to reach 26 million by 2030, up from almost 15 million, with the civil aircraft fleet more than doubling and 81 new international destinations added. Drawing on a track record of safely guiding flights across U.S. and global skies, Leidos is positioned to modernise Kazakhstan’s air traffic control infrastructure efficiently and meet future demands.

Kazakhstan currently holds a flight safety rating of 82 per cent, well above the global average of 70.8 per cent, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

This contract underscores the importance of modern air traffic management systems in supporting safe, reliable, and scalable aviation growth in the region.