The U.S. Congress had approved US$30 million funding to help upgrade Kyrgyzstan's air traffic management system, the U.S. embassy in Bishkek said on Aug. 6.

The new system would enhance the central Asian country's competitiveness and bring in additional revenues from commercial flights, the embassy said.

It said that Raytheon, a U.S. weapon manufacturer, and a Kyrgyz state company would work together on the project and the Kyrgyz side would take full control of the new system after its completion.

The project included a new tower with state-of-the-art aero-navigation equipment at Bishkek Manas Airport, which would allow the airport to be more efficient as well as safer for commercial flights, the embassy said.