Conference helps put Air Force fliers on enhanced path

  • Published
  • By Chuck Paone
  • ESC Public Affairs
Hanscom AFB, Mass. --  Enhanced air traffic standards, and the technology used to achieve them, are making it safer for the Air Force to do its job in Iraq and Afghanistan, a top Air Mobility Command general said last week.

Speaking at the Air Force CNS/ATM conference in Orlando, Fla., AMC's director of Strategic Plans, Maj. Gen. Thomas Kane, said, better air-to-ground communication is greatly enhancing protection of air transport flights in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

That upgraded communication represents only a small part of the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management, or CNS/ATM, pie.

"CNS/ATM is a combination of aircraft communication, navigation, and surveillance technologies designed to improve air traffic management and flight safety while more efficiently using airspace," said Capt. Ben Brandt, deputy Global Air Traffic Management Division chief. "Additionally, it allows Department of Defense aircraft to interoperate with civilian CNS/ATM systems."

A key conference focus was on emerging requirements related to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, known as ADS-B. That system supports improved use of airspace, reduced ceiling and visibility restrictions, improved surface surveillance and enhanced safety, such as conflict management.

"The conference really helped foster an increased understanding of the full scope of CNS/ATM requirements, technologies and acquisition options," said Col. Geoffrey Lum, commander of the 853rd Electronics Systems Group, which sponsored the event. "It also provided a great opportunity for dialogue about challenges and solutions."

Representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Air Services Australia, the Federal Aviation Administration, European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation, and NASA, among many others, presented briefings covering all facets of CNS/ATM. The conference also provided an opportunity for industry to hear first-hand about user needs and to demonstrate their wares to platform management representatives.

"We got a lot of great feedback from participants," said Capt. Patrick Maddox chief, of the Business Operations Branch. "People are understandably concerned about global requirements and how to keep track of them, and we heard those concerns. We also heard a lot about the progress being made and how the newer technology helps with mission success."

The 853rd tracks evolving world-wide requirements, helping Air Force platform managers know which ones exist for which parts of the globe. The group also charts the progress of individual platform managers in meeting the new requirements, and offers solutions to help.

One major solution is the group's I-GATM catalogue, which features vendors and products that have already been qualified, priced and put on contract. This allows platform managers to acquired needed technologies without having to initiate lengthy independent contracting processes.

"We heard some very good things about I-GATM at the conference," Captain Maddox said. "People are finding it easier and cheaper to order needed equipment that way."

The Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association once again co-sponsored this year's conference. Along with the 853rd, the chapter is already beginning to plan for next year's event.

"They did an extraordinary job supporting us," Captain Maddox said. "We couldn't have done it without all their hard work."