AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Abstract

This project funds continuous efforts in the development of modernized tactical and fixed base Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems that will enable safety of aircraft landings in both the tactical and strategic ATC domains. ATC systems are required to achieve or maintain compliance with civil, military, domestic and international air traffic control and combat identification requirements and mandates. Funding will be utilized to develop, evaluate and integrate candidate technology mandates. Funded in this program element is the development of the Tactical Airspace Integration System (TAIS) Web Based Architecture and Airspace Improvements Initiative, Advanced Surveillance, Air Traffic Navigation Integration and Coordination System (ATNAVICS) modernization, Mobile Tower System (MOTS), Tactical Terminal Control System (TTCS) Pre-Planned Product Improvements (P3I), Fixed Base Precision Approach Radar (FBPAR) P3I, and maintenance monitoring. ATNAVICS provides all weather instrument flight capabilities to include enroute, terminal, radar precision approach and landing services to all Army, Joint, and allied aircraft. The MOTS is a tactical mobile tower designed to meet the deployability and communication requirements of the current to future force. TAIS develops software and required hardware for airspace management web services, to operate effectively in a dynamic net-centric interconnected environment. TAIS also integrates advanced surveillance interfaces to further enhance airspace integration and dynamic management capabilities. FBPAR is the Army's primary ground controlled precision approach capability to provide recovery operations for aircraft to fixed base airfields during adverse weather conditions. TTCS provides enhanced Air Traffic Services (ATS) communications support to aviation assets conducting reconnaissance, maneuver, medical evacuation, logistics, and intelligence operations across the battlefield. Maintenance monitoring is a remote maintenance capability for ATC systems. Funded project improvements to ATC systems, including the TAIS and ATNAVICS, will align these programs with advanced networking, communications and interoperability goals, and provide compatibility with the Army Aviation aircraft and avionics upgrade programs including military (Global Air Traffic Management) and civil initiatives (Next Gen). In a networked battlefield, joint service systems and radars provide operational data to ATC missions assuming a communications infrastructure and data processing capability is embedded in ATC systems. ATC systems control and maintain information relevant to higher level organizations or other external systems; advanced networks and communications allow such information to be transmitted, to include aircraft positional information, weather data, landing surface conditions, airspace density, airspace control orders, restricted airspace, and flight plan data. As the Department of Defense transitions military aircraft to positional self-reporting technologies. These various technologies will be demonstrated and tested prior to integration into the ATC systems. Advanced surveillance relies on aircraft self-reporting technologies which include Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), Mode 5 and Mode S. Initial testing and integration of these systems are foundational to Advanced Surveillance to increase ATC systems availability to detect, manage, and disseminate aircraft information. ATNAVICS will network its advanced surveillance data (Mode 5 and Mode S) to aviation and joint network nodes. TAIS, the Airspace Management System of the Army Battle Command System (ABCS), requires the development and testing of web-based services for Airspace Command and Control (AC2) and ATS, and integration of these new web-based services into a common Army Battle Command hardware, ATS and Airspace Integration Improvement Initiatives (AI3) through advanced surveillance interfaces, mission planning interfaces, and providing TAIS dynamic airspace updates to the cockpit. TAIS RDTE also includes separate TAIS P3I efforts in FY12/13, FY 15 and FY 17. TAIS P3I include, but are not limited to, developing and testing improvements to the air picture adding unmanned aircraft positions cooperative self-reporting aircraft . To facilitate increased maintenance and system support, a remote maintenance capability will be developed for robust maintenance and troubleshooting. FBPAR includes upgrading computer capability. TTCS P3I includes enhanced survivability and capability for situational awareness through Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2) and interoperability with TAIS.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 586_0604633A_5_2040_PB_2012

Tags

Readers

• Aviation Safety and Air Traffic Management
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space