CNS/ATM for Tactical Military Aircraft

S. Frain, G. Van Sickle

Abstract:	Worldwide, civil aviation is transitioning to a new airspace architecture called Communication, Navigation, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM). The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is leading this effort by establishing standards and addressing minimum equipage for aircraft to operate within this new architecture. Military aircraft are classified as State Aircraft and are not subjected to International Registration. Many do not have the space available to utilize civil approved avionics. To enable military aircraft to operate within this new CNS/ATM airspace, they must capture civil functionality within their military avionics equipment. Specifically, military aircraft must transition from ground based navigation aids (VOR/TACAN) to area navigation in performance-based airspace (RNP RNAV). Likewise, they must transition from secondary RADAR surveillance to Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B). With GPS as the source of accurate positioning, the transition to RNP RNAV is accomplished through cockpit integration, improved processing power, digital databases, modular software and digital cockpit displays. Specific procedures for Departure, Enroute, Terminal and Non Precision Approach must be established and presented to the aircrew without increasing the workload. Data base validity must be established and software qualification must be maintained. Since the specific functionalities of RNP RNAV are still not fully defined by the various certifying authorities, we started by drafting a Functional Requirements Document (FRD) that conforms with presently published RNP performance requirements. If these requirements change, the upgrades will be incorporated in future revisions of the FRD and cockpit software. We are prepared to present the details of the FRD at the conference. Likewise, with GPS installed, the most accurate locating information for each military aircraft will be the self-generated position displayed in that aircraft. Today, this accurate GPS-based aircraft position is not available to the air traffic controller. With the installation of a standard data link and a common reference, a line-of-site broadcast of the accurate GPS-based aircraft self-reports (ADS-B) is possible. These self-reports of aircraft identity WGS-84 geodetic position (Lat-Long-Alt) and velocity vector and will be transmitted up to twice a second. Aircraft within line of sight can use these transmissions to automatically produce a cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI). If all civil and military air traffic participated in an ADS-B network, improved situational awareness and aviation safety would be possible. The same processing power, modular software, and cockpit displays used for RNP RNAV will be used for ADS-B and CDTI. Today, three different data links are being considered for ADS-B but only the Mode S 1090 MHz Extended Squitter is being installed. Both the RNP RNAV and the ADS-B have considerable military utility and improved situational awareness is anticipated within the battlespace as well as within civil airspace.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003) September 9 - 12, 2003 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	841 - 848
Cite this article:	Frain, S., Van Sickle, G., "CNS/ATM for Tactical Military Aircraft," Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS/GNSS 2003), Portland, OR, September 2003, pp. 841-848.
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