国际英语新闻:Bolivia to set up advanced radar network to fight drug trafficking

LA PAZ, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia will install a network of 13 radars across the country to monitor its entire airspace in an effort to fight drug trafficking and smuggling, Defense Minister Reymi Ferreira said Monday.

The minister said the radar network will be bought from French company, Thales Air Systems, for a value of 213.4 million U.S. dollars.

The network, made up of five military and eight civilian radars, will be installed across airports and military bases, with an emphasis on the country's Amazon, central and southern regions.

The final contract for the deal will be signed in the coming weeks and Ferreira said that it would be a turnkey operation, with Thales installing the radars.

The first civilian radar will be set up at the El Alto International Airport in La Paz within six months of the signature of the country.

"The civilian radars will be installed first as Bolivia is one of the only countries in South America to still need such equipment to control commercial flights," said the minister.

The military radars will be tasked with identifying and helping to intercept clandestine flights linked to drug trafficking.

Ruben Lazo, Thales' vice-president for Latin America, said in July that this deal would allow Bolivia to have the most advanced air traffic control system in Latin America.