Accelerating digitalisation of air traffic services in Vietnam

On February 3, Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) launched an initiative to study the feasibility of deploying and integrating System Wide Information Management (SWIM) and Remote Air Traffic Control (RTC) in Vietnam. On the same day, VATM also held a ceremony to award a consultancy agreement to Sweden’s LFV Aviation Consulting AB to support the initiative.

The move follows the signing of a project financing agreement between VATM and Swedfund, Sweden’s state-owned development finance institution, in Stockholm last June. The signing took place in the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, during the Vietnam–Sweden Business Forum.

Photo: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV)

At the event, chairman of VATM Le Hoang Minh said, “We expect the project's results to bring about significant and groundbreaking changes, not only in terms of technology but also in operations and the personnel involved in the service delivery chain, thereby enhancing the efficiency of air traffic management for VATM as well as stakeholders in the aviation industry in Vietnam.”

Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Johan Ndisi shared that as the first country in the world to deploy RTC technology and also one of the pioneers in implementing SWIM, Sweden hopes to soon see a new symbol of cooperation between the two countries in the aviation industry – a digital air traffic control tower in Vietnam, thanks to collaborative research between LFV Aviation Consulting AB and VATM.

The signing ceremony for the consulting agreement and the official launch of the project took place during LFV Aviation Consulting's two-week working visit to Vietnam from January 26 to February 5, 2026. This was the first official activity within the scope of the venture.

Photo: CAAV

With the efforts of experts from both sides, along with the support and collaboration of the leaders of organisations and sponsors, the project will be implemented on schedule and with guaranteed quality to realise VATM's vision and goals in implementing SWIM and RTC, contributing to the digital transformation of the aviation industry.

Digital transformation has become inevitable in the global aviation industry, highlighted by trends such as digitising the entire operational value chain, applying AI and big data in predictive maintenance, robotising ground operations, using sustainable aviation fuels, and expanding the global flight network through alliances and digital platforms.

Vietnam is also accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies to streamline airport operations and enhance the passenger experience. Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) plans to introduce the ACV ID system, leveraging biometric verification to automate security and identity checks.

Airlines are also adopting digitalisation. Vietnam Airlines launched VNA AI, powered by GPT-4 via Azure OpenAI, to enhance regulatory compliance and improve workflow efficiency. Meanwhile, Vietjet adopted SkyBreathe, an AI-powered solution to optimise fuel consumption and reduce carbon emissions.

VATM to modernise its air traffic network systems Vietnam’s Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) will use Nokia’s multiservice network solution to upgrade its legacy network systems to enhance the performance and flexibility of its air traffic network.

Vietnam expected to double air traffic over next 10 years Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook, released in Hanoi on April 24, forecasts significant growth in air traffic and fleet sizes across Southeast Asia through 2043.

VATM and Swedfund sign funding agreement A funding agreement was signed on June 12, during the Vietnam-Sweden Business Forum held during the official visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Sweden, to support a new scheme aimed at exploring advanced solutions to improve air traffic management in Vietnam.