Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced the award of a technical assistance grant to help the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) strengthen aviation safety using advanced weather forecasting technologies. VATM selected Maryland-based I.M. Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG) to carry out the assistance.

“USTDA has a growing portfolio of activities that are helping partners like VATM to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Changing weather patterns, and in particular severe weather, can affect the safety of the flying public. Our assistance will demonstrate how U.S.-made weather forecasting systems can have a transformational impact on Vietnam’s aviation sector.”

USTDA’s grant will help VATM test high-resolution weather products and an advanced aviation weather forecast capability at the Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. The assistance will assess VATM’s current air traffic operations and how they are affected by weather. The assistance will also pilot IMSG’s proprietary Enterprise Integrated Aviation Weather System solution and support VATM’s implementation of more effective air traffic patterns to reduce delays.

VATM Chairman, Pham Viet Dung, said: “USTDA’s grant will help VATM evaluate the impact of weather on our operations and improve air traffic management in Vietnam. We estimate 280 million passengers per year by 2030, so the potential impact of USTDA’s assistance is very significant to our aviation sector.”

IMSG’s CEO, Vance Hum, said: “IMSG is excited to partner with VATM and USTDA to demonstrate its proven weather solutions for civil aviation. Our Enterprise Integrated Aviation Weather System provides the right information at the right time to enhance safety in the air.”

This activity supports USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets. It also advances USTDA’s U.S.-Southeast Asia Aviation Cooperation Program, a public-private partnership to support commercial, technical and policy cooperation in Southeast Asia’s civil aviation sector.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies.  USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

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