The agreement enables the development of projects, which facilitate the transition of airport assets through safer data with the X-2030 platform, analysis through Artificial Intelligence, and technological versatility of the digital
Cyber security, surveillance, monitoring, communication and decision support for critical infrastructure and urban air mobility, and with particular reference to the development requirements of ground infrastructures and air traffic control. These are joint initiative areas based on the partnership signed between Leonardo and ADR to facilitate the transition of airport assets into smart hubs.
This is an agreement with a strategic value. Through an already tested model by which Leonardo’s skills meet the needs of leading international companies in specific domains (from Snam to Maire Tecnimont), it will be possible to combine services and solutions in the areas of safety and technological transversality of digital by which Leonardo is at the forefront with the airport sector’s evolutionary needs. This alliance model intends to pool the distinctive excellence of individual players in order to find new shared solutions capable of making future business evolve on the path of digitization and sustainability.
The agreement is part of Leonardo’s series of technological and market development roadmaps identified in the Be Tomorrow – Leonardo 2030 strategic plan, which is based on long-term sustainable growth, and within ADR’s Sustainability and Innovation strategy that is aimed at creating a system with major national players to face the momentous challenge for the airport and for the country.
In the cyber security field, ADR and Leonardo will collaborate to develop services for the management of the collection and processing of information and events characteristic of the airport sector. These will be analysed through Artificial Intelligence, which will utilise the Security Operation Centers (SOC) of Leonardo di Chieti, in Italy, and Bristol, UK, to intercept the needs of the sector and to identify specific risk profiles of the airport hub. This is a key plan of ADR, manager of the best airport in Europe over the last three years, which adopts the best-in-class market solutions to ensure constant protection of airport systems and passenger information.
In the same context, cyber intelligence services will be implemented with the aim of preventing any attacks, understanding their matrix and characteristics, and verifying the degree of security of the infrastructures. Leonardo provides the Cyber Range platform, which will allow the creation of a digital twin of the Rome airport hub to simulate attacks and study the appropriate methods of reaction and to train the personnel of the operational structures.
In relation to surveillance, monitoring, communication and decision support systems, Leonardo places the X-2030 platform at the service of ADR for the collection, integration, and enhancement of security information from diversified sources and the coordination of interventions. In addition to the Global Ranger System, SCADA application for remote control and supervision of transport infrastructures, and the Ganimede web platform based on deep learning for the analysis of live or recorded video sources.
With urban air mobility, Leonardo and ADR will maximise synergies for the development of infrastructure and interface requirements and for the study of issues relating to both the control of ground air traffic and the legal and regulatory aspects of in-flight operations. In this context, ADR is participating with Leonardo at the national table with ENAC on the national roadmap of Urban Air Mobility and Advanced Air Mobility. It intends to launch the first connections to Fiumicino in 2024, also in collaboration with one of the most advanced manufacturers, and to position itself as an international player in the development of land infrastructures with vertiports.
“For Leonardo, the national player for security and resilience of critical infrastructures, the agreement with ADR means combining the distinctive skills of two players of excellence – says Alessandro Profumo, Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo – creating a technological partnership with ADR for secure digital transformation. We are proud to provide our advanced solutions in the aerospace, defence, and cyber security sectors to ADR to strengthen and promote innovation, digitization and environmental sustainability of the airports for the first Italian airport hub”.
“The agreement signed with Leonardo” – highlights Marco Troncone, Chief Executive Officer of Aeroporti di Roma – “stems from the desire of two large companies to share a common vision in the creation of a system that identifies innovative, sustainable and truly effective solutions, which are able to effectively contribute to the sustainable and digital transition of the aviation sector for the benefit of the country. For some time now we have strongly accelerated innovation and digitalization, areas in which – together with sustainability – we aim to be forerunners and to implement solutions of excellence”.
Through its technological capital, Leonardo will be able to answer to the needs of a reality, such as ADR, that manages the airports of Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino, with innovative solutions, aimed at increasingly digital scenarios, optimizing the services necessary for the airport sector.
The agreement with ADR is part of Leonardo’s broader strategy, which is based on a dynamic innovation model. Through the company’s network of Leonardo Labs, research and development incubators, which together with universities, polytechnics, research centres and partner companies, intends to develop cutting-edge solutions in areas, such as Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Intelligent System, Big Data Analytics, High Performance Computing, Materials and Structures Quantum Technologies, with a view to open innovation.