ATC Radar Data Networking in the Benelux and Northern Germany

Summary

Under the auspices of a Four States Integration Project managed by a Group of Senior Officials representing the Air Traffic Control (ATC) administrations of the Benelux and the Federal Republic of Germany plus Eurocontrol, an effort is underway to realize a data communications network to support the sharing of radar data by the early 1990’s. The data currently planned to be transported by the network includes ATC target data, radar-derived weather messages, station monitoring and control data, and processed radar data. The sharing of data will enhance both the coverage and quality of the radar information available to the several Air Traffic Control Centres in the included region, allowing extension of the geographical area being monitored by each centre to 30 nm beyond the boundaries of the assigned area of control, and will support the adoption of a uniform 5 nm enroute separation standard in the region. The initial network configuration is foreseen to have five nodes which are interconnected by eight 64 Kbps digital links leased from the national communications agencies (PTT). Future expansion to other areas such as Southern Germany is anticipated. In consideration of the perishable operational value of radar data, the driving requirement imposed on the network, which is to be based on packet switching, is a very low transit time characteristic.

Task Force 2

Four States

Integration Project