Eurocontrol - EATMP Communication Strategy-Vol 2-Technical Description - 2006

EUROPEAN ORGANISATION
FOR THE SAFETY OF AIR NAVIGATION
EUROCONTROL
EATMP COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGY - VOLUME 2 –
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Edition Number : 6.0

Edition Date : 5 January 2006
Status : Proposed Issue
Intended for : EATMP Stakeholders
EUROPEAN AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

EATMP COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY - VOLUME 2 – TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
DOCUMENT CHARACTERISTICS
TITLE
EATMP COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY - VOLUME 2 –

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
EATMP Infocentre Reference: 06/01/13-02
Document Identifier Edition Number: 6.0
ECS_V2_E6.0 Edition Date: 5 January
2006
Abstract
This document is the 3rd revision to the EATMP COM Strategy, as developed in the COM Strategy
Task Force meetings.
Keywords
VDL QSIG Network Management Mode-S
ATN 8.33 kHz
AMHS CIDIN Voice/Data Integration Datalink
Communications Strategy EATM ATM
Contact Person(s) Tel Unit
D. Van Roosbroek 93471 DAS/CSM
STATUS, AUDIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY

Status Intended for Accessible via
Working Draft General Public Intranet
Draft EATMP Stakeholders ; Extranet
Proposed Issue ; Restricted Audience Internet (www.eurocontrol.int)
Released Issue Printed & electronic copies of the document can be obtained from
the EATMP Infocentre (see page iii)
ELECTRONIC SOURCE
Path: P:\EATM\DAS\BD_CSM\CMU\COM_DOMAIN\STRATEGY\THIRD_REVISION
Host System Software Size

Windows_NT Microsoft Word 10.0 1810 Kb
Page ii Proposed Issue Edition Number: 6.0

DOCUMENT CHANGE RECORD
The following table records the complete history of the successive editions of the present
document.
EDITION EDITION INFOCENTRE PAGES

REASON FOR CHANGE
NUMBER DATE REFERENCE AFFECTED
Cover
2.3 16-11-98 Endorsed by ECG
pages
Editorial updates in preparation for
2.4 31-05-00 Most
strategy revision in 2000.
Updates from A/G subgroup (P Renaud)
2.4a 05-07-00 and Ground (C Leclerc) incorporated, also Most
RASA17 agreed items
2.4b 12-07-00 Updated after editors meeting, 7th July
2.4c 19-07-00 Interim version for checking

Updated after internal discussions in
2.4d 27-07-00 EUROCONTROL and comments from P
Renaud
2.4e 16-08-00 Interim version for checking
Version for distribution to RASA18 and
2.4f 18-08-00
SCS
Section 7
2.4g 30-08-00 Section 7 updated for RASA
only
Update after RASA18 – proof-reading
2.4h 13-09-00 Most
version
3.0 18-09-00 Clean version for circulation to COM Team Most
Comments included as received at COMT-
3.1 18-10-00 Several
19
Comments included as received after
3.2 31-01-01 Several
COMT-19
Comments included as received at COMT-
4.0 21-02-01 Several
20
First update for 2003 revision (to be
4.1
31-12-02 version 5.0), based on TF and project All
draft
manager inputs
Version for distribution to Strategy Task
4.2 13-01-03 All
Force after internal review
Revised after TF21 for final review by
4.3 21-03-03 All
Strategy Task Force
Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page iv

EDITION EDITION INFOCENTRE PAGES

REASON FOR CHANGE
NUMBER DATE REFERENCE AFFECTED
4.4 28-03-03 Revised after internal review Several

Fig 1,
4.5 31-03-03 Revised after internal review
4.3.1.3
Revised after TF22 discussions. See
4.6 23-05-03 See list
separate change list
4.7 26-05-03 Revised after internal review 5.1
Minor editorial after COM Team approval –
5.0 25-08-03 change bars removed. Removal of link to Various
the common document
First draft of 3rd revision, for review in STF
5.1 20-05-05 All
May 2005
5.2 30-05-05 After review at STF meeting All
Incorporates feedback from COM Team
5.3 22-07-05 Various
on PENS, and tidy up of section 7
Version after final review in STF meeting,
5.4 28-09-05 Various
September 2005
Version
6.0 05-01-06 Published Version of 3rd revision
Numbers
Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page v

CONTENTS
About this Document................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Purpose of the Document ........................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Audience .................................................................................................................................. 1
1.3 Structure of the document........................................................................................................ 1
2. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 2
2.1 Why have a strategy?............................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Scope of this document............................................................................................................ 3
2.3 Background .............................................................................................................................. 4
2.3.1 Policy ................................................................................................................................ 4
2.3.2 Trends............................................................................................................................... 4
2.3.3 Intent and Usage .............................................................................................................. 5
3. Overview of the communications strategy ...................................................... 6

3.1 Objectives................................................................................................................................. 6
3.2 Operational Improvements....................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Technical Improvements .......................................................................................................... 7
3.4 Components ............................................................................................................................. 8
3.5 Timescales ............................................................................................................................... 8
3.6 Users of the strategy .............................................................................................................. 11
3.6.1 Airspace users ................................................................................................................ 11
3.6.2 Air Navigation Service providers (ANSPs) ..................................................................... 11
3.6.3 Airports ........................................................................................................................... 11
3.6.4 Communication Service providers.................................................................................. 11
3.7 Context ................................................................................................................................... 11
3.7.1 Relationship to other strategies ...................................................................................... 11
3.7.2 The Communications Context ........................................................................................ 12
4. Requirements ................................................................................................... 13
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 13
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4.2 Airspace User Services .......................................................................................................... 14

4.3 Requirements of the ATM communications domain .............................................................. 15
4.3.1 ATS communications...................................................................................................... 15
4.3.2 Air Space Management .................................................................................................. 16
4.3.3 Air Traffic Flow Management.......................................................................................... 17
4.4 Navigation communications requirements ............................................................................. 17

4.5 Flight Planning services requirements ................................................................................... 17
4.5.1 Aeronautical Meteorological Information Service ........................................................... 17
4.5.2 Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) ........................................................................ 17
4.6 Airport Services ...................................................................................................................... 17

4.7 Auxiliary services communications requirements .................................................................. 18
4.8 Search and Rescue (SAR)..................................................................................................... 18
4.9 Other Communications Requirements ................................................................................... 18
4.9.1 Surveillance communications requirements................................................................... 18
4.9.2 AOC, AAC and APC ....................................................................................................... 18
4.9.3 CIVIL/Military Co-ordination............................................................................................ 19
4.9.4 Communications Security............................................................................................... 19
4.9.5 Contingency Concepts ................................................................................................... 19
4.9.6 Required Communication Performance (RCP) .............................................................. 19
4.9.7 OATA .............................................................................................................................. 19
5. Opportunities and Constraints........................................................................ 19

5.1 Business Environment............................................................................................................ 20
5.1.1 European Union Legislation ........................................................................................... 20
5.1.2 Air Traffic Service Providers ........................................................................................... 21
5.1.3 Airspace Users ............................................................................................................... 22
5.1.4 Airports ........................................................................................................................... 22
5.2 Institutional Issues.................................................................................................................. 22

5.3 Technology............................................................................................................................. 23
5.4 Standardisation and regulation aspects ................................................................................. 25
5.5 Commercial Network Operators............................................................................................. 26
5.5.1 Public Telecommunications Operators (TELCOs) strategy ........................................... 26
5.5.2 Passenger Communication Service providers ............................................................... 26
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5.5.3 Impact of liberalisation and competition ......................................................................... 26
5.5.4 Specific “Aeronautical” Service Providers ...................................................................... 26
5.5.5 Implications for the ANSPs and other users................................................................... 26
5.6 Civil-Military Interoperability ................................................................................................... 27
6. Communications Services............................................................................... 27
6.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 27
6.2 Data communication services ................................................................................................ 29
6.2.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 29
6.2.2 Air-ground data communication services ....................................................................... 30
6.2.3 Programmes ................................................................................................................... 30
6.2.4 Transition and coexistence............................................................................................. 31
6.2.5 Future services ............................................................................................................... 31
6.2.6 Air-air data communication services .............................................................................. 31
6.2.7 Ground mobile data communication services ................................................................ 32
6.2.8 Ground-ground (fixed) data communication services .................................................... 32
6.2.9 Means to achieve data communication services............................................................ 35
6.3 Voice communication services............................................................................................... 36
6.3.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 36
6.3.2 Air-ground voice communication services...................................................................... 37
6.3.3 Air-air voice communication ........................................................................................... 37
6.3.4 Ground mobile voice communication ............................................................................. 37
6.3.5 Ground-ground voice communication services .............................................................. 38
6.3.6 Means to achieve voice communication services .......................................................... 38
6.4 Pan European Fixed Network Service (PENS)...................................................................... 39
6.4.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 39
6.4.2 Data Network services.................................................................................................... 39
6.4.3 Voice fixed network services .......................................................................................... 40
6.4.4 Switching Fabric ............................................................................................................. 41
6.4.5 Bearer Circuits ................................................................................................................ 42
6.4.6 Management of the PENS.............................................................................................. 42
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6.4.7 Means to achieve the PENS........................................................................................... 42
6.5 Mobile Network Services (MNS) ............................................................................................ 43
6.5.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 43
6.5.2 VHF Frequency Management ........................................................................................ 43
6.5.3 “New technology” mobile communications links............................................................. 44
6.5.4 Data mobile services ...................................................................................................... 45
6.5.5 Phased introduction of voice mobile services ................................................................ 47
6.5.6 Means to achieve the MNS ............................................................................................ 47
6.6 System-wide issues................................................................................................................ 48
6.6.1 Introduction to system-wide considerations ................................................................... 48
6.6.2 The use of COTS products............................................................................................. 48
6.6.3 Safety Management ....................................................................................................... 49
6.6.4 Radio Spectrum Resources............................................................................................ 50
6.6.5 The ATN ......................................................................................................................... 50
6.6.6 End to end voice communication ................................................................................... 51
6.6.7 Systems Management, Directory Service and Security ................................................. 53
6.6.8 Systems Engineering...................................................................................................... 54
6.6.9 Means to achieve the system wide objectives ............................................................... 58
7. List of Strategy Elements ................................................................................ 59

7.1 Elements from Section 6 ........................................................................................................ 59
7.2 Other elements of the strategy............................................................................................... 65
8. Maintenance of the Strategy............................................................................ 67
9. Appendix A – Glossary .................................................................................... 68
10. Appendix B – References ................................................................................ 81
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INDEX OF DIAGRAMS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1 Communication Strategy Timescales ...........................................................................10
Figure 2 Relationship to other strategies ....................................................................................12
Figure 3 Context Diagram...........................................................................................................13
Figure 4 Communications Strategy Positioning ..........................................................................14
Figure 5 EATMS Taxonomy for Airspace User Services ............................................................15
Figure 6 The COM domain .........................................................................................................29
Figure 7 Air-ground data services...............................................................................................30
Figure 8 Information Distribution Deployment.............................................................................34
Figure 9 Voice network service time-table ..................................................................................40
Figure 10 Timescales for the switching fabric.............................................................................41
Figure 11 Mobile Network Services deployment.........................................................................45
Figure 12 Coexistence of Safety-critical and Non-safety-critical communications......................51
Figure 13 Possible Scenarios for end-to-end voice connections ................................................52
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ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
This section describes the purpose of the document, the audience and the structure.
1.1 Purpose of the Document

This communications strategy represents the view of the EATMP Communication Team
concerning the communication services, which should be provided in the short, medium and
long term future in order to support the requirements of Air Traffic Management. It describes
available and potential infrastructures by means of which such communication services can
be provided, identifies a preferred solutions and a road map towards the implementation.
It is related to the EUROCONTROL ATM strategy for the years 2000+, to other European
strategies for Air Navigation Services, and to the CNS/ATM overall architecture.
1.2 Audience
As a statement of strategy, this document is aimed at a wide audience, including:
• Airspace users
• Regulatory authorities
• The airport community
• Communications, Navigation and Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM)
service providers (ANSPs)
• The support industry
Its impact is on a strategic level and therefore it will be of most use for management that
influences and defines policies and gives directives and guidance for future developments.
1.3 Structure of the document

The strategy is presented in two volumes:
• Volume 1: Communications Strategy (Management Overview) It provides an overview,
from a business perspective, of the business drivers, guiding principles, technical
approach and timescales of the strategy.
• Volume 2: Communications Strategy (Technical Description) It provides a greater level of
detail of requirements, opportunities and constraints, and the technical implications of the
strategy, together with a glossary of terms.
The structure of Volume 2 is as below:
About this Document: This section describes the purpose of the document, the audience
and the structure.
Introduction: This section provides the context necessary to understand the contents of the
strategy.
Overview of the communications strategy: This section describes the objectives, based
on business drivers, the components and timescales of the strategy.
Page 1 Proposed Issue Edition Number: 6.0

Requirements: This section describes the operational requirements of the different

communications users on the basis of which the communication services will be defined.
Opportunities and Constraints: This section describes the issues, which influence (either
as constraints or as new possible solutions) the definition of the communication services and
their implementation, e.g. institutional issues, technology trends.
Communications Services: This section describes the communication services and the
supporting network services which should be provided in the near, medium and long term
future in order to support the requirements of Air Traffic Management.
List of Strategy Elements: This section provides an overall road map towards the
implementation of the communication services and infrastructure and the policies which
guide it.
Maintenance of the Strategy: This section defines the procedure which ensures that during
its lifetime the strategy is updated to take account of technology trends, the changing
requirements and policies and the results of cost/benefit studies which narrow down the
options.
Appendices: These provide additional background information, specifically a glossary of
terms to aid understanding, and a list of reference documents which were used during the
development of the strategy.
2. INTRODUCTION
This section provides the context necessary to understand the contents of the strategy.
2.1 Why have a strategy?

The EUROCONTROL ATM 2000+ Strategy describes in high level terms the objectives and
change steps to realise a Uniform European ATM System. It needs to be supplemented by
more specific strategies detailing the overall strategy for the main aspects of the air
navigation systems. When proposed steps are mature enough, they are converted into
Implementation Objectives within the European Convergence and Implementation Plan
(ECIP). In turn, programmes within EATMP can be launched to perform the activities of
common interest necessary to achieve the objectives. Embedded in the notion of
convergence and integration, and underpinning the current work programme, is the need to
ensure cross-system consistency and interoperability between systems, so that to the users
the air traffic management systems as a whole appear as a single, seamless entity.
Looking beyond the current development horizon, towards the “Single European Sky” and
the realisation of a uniform European ATM system, what is apparent is the central role of
communications. The majority of the new operational concepts and underlying applications
that will be introduced to fulfil these concepts will be dependent upon improved or more
advanced communications to deliver timely and accurate information to a broader audience.
The EATMP Communications Strategy (COM Strategy) facilitates planning ahead for the
introduction of new services and infrastructure elements, together with the corresponding
required evolution of new procedures. The strategy identifies not only what is already
mature and stable enough to be part of the future picture, but also where options still exist
that cannot be resolved because of too many uncertainties, and where there is a need for
study activities to address the issues. The strategy comprises the set of actions to deal with
these aspects and to deliver, in a timely fashion, the required services within a gate-to-gate
approach.
The communications strategy identifies:
Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page 2

1. The communications services and infrastructure elements that are, or will be needed to
support the business goals,
2. The need for policies to enable the communications services to provide that support,
3. The timescale and major milestones between the current baseline support and the goal,
4. The need for decision criteria or thresholds that will be necessary to determine changes
to the communications services provided, (which may vary by reference level and
geography),
5. The Transitions which will need to take place.
The strategy determines the route by which the goal or set of goals are to be achieved. It
also describes the goals themselves. It should be used by the intended audience to set
direction and goals for air traffic management communications.
The driving force of the communications strategy is twofold:
• the deployment of new applications and services in support of the implementation of
the operational improvements required to deliver better performance of ATM;
• the progressive harmonisation and integration of existing systems to improve the
intrinsic efficiency of communications through state-of-the art solutions.
The communications requirements are increasing in complexity. An analysis of application
trends carried out as a preparatory exercise for the communications strategy indicates a
trend beyond the current need for simple connectivity between the national systems to one
of distributed services requiring the provision of managed networks to support the distribution
of applications and data across national boundaries or service provider/stakeholder
limits of responsibility.
The strategy should also support the services and infrastructure elements required to enable
the exchange of information between civil and military organizations and units that are
essential for civil-military coordination. This objective can only be achieved if civil and military
systems are compatible or interoperable.
The closer integration of air and ground systems, with the exchange of information through
datalinks is adding a new airborne dimension to the requirement. New concepts such as the
gate to gate perspective are extending the scope of the communications systems to
accommodate ground based mobile components. This in turn is leading to an increase in the
need for the transfer of real-time information, as airport, airline operators, approach and en-
route systems must now all be seamlessly involved in data exchange.
Likewise, closer integration of mobile and fixed voice communications services is placing
increased emphasis on the need for seamless end-to-end voice services across diverse
network technologies.
In the air transportation industry the user requires a strategy in order to make incremental
changes aligned to the implementation of enhanced or new applications or services. These
must show demonstrable economic benefit and provide a clear direction towards the goals
to the EATMP programme.
2.2 Scope of this document

This document describes the EATMP Communication Strategy for the provision of
communication services relevant to EATMP, including Gate-to-Gate, in the time period from
the present day until 2020. It addresses end-to-end (application to application and/or human
to human) communications services and the underlying infrastructure (technology) for both
voice and data. It covers:
• The geographic area covered by the ECAC Area FIRs;

• The aviation stakeholders (airspace users, ATS providers, airports, communication

service providers, see section 3.6);
• Operational and Administrative communications traffic.1

The scope includes the economic aspects of communications service provision, but NOT the
analysis of the costs/benefits of user applications, which may utilise the communications
services.
2.3 Background
2.3.1 Policy
The communication strategy described in this document supports the realisation of the
EUROCONTROL ATM strategy for the years 2000+. The communication strategy has been
developed within a gate-to-gate context.
2.3.2 Trends
Telecommunications in the air navigation services comprise ground/ground (G/G), air/ground
(A/G) and air/air (A/A) voice and data communications. Point-to-point connections, broadcast
communications, local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) are used. The
majority of links are used for voice transmission.
The trend in aeronautical communications is towards digital networking, the wider use of
data rather than voice, automatic message handling and data compression to improve
bandwidth utilisation. The ATM development plans and the supporting R&D in general
envisage the progressive transition of a number of ATS/ATM voice messages to data
messages. The rate of transition and the order of the transition is not yet clear: however, if
the experience of other industries is repeated, the communications strategy will have to
recognise that the scope and the number of applications wishing to use a data-
communications system will expand rapidly as the quality of the service is improved and it
attains a wide-spread recognition of its capability.
The increasing demands for harmonisation and integration, coupled with economic
pressures will change the role of communications from a peripheral to a central component
of the overall strategy.
Future communications in Air Traffic Services (ATS) will be characterised by:
• increased need for communications capacity,
• increased need for security measures to protect communications against attack and
cyber crime,
• high level of interoperability between civil and military systems,
• the development of air/ground data communications, interconnected to the ground
networks to deliver end to end services,
• incorporation of mass market COTS products and services,
• a higher, defined and measurable, Quality of Service using digital technology,
1
The administrative communication may be taken into account on a cost-benefit basis when planning an
integrated communications solution, provided that the ATM Quality of Service requirements will be
achieved by the solution. Administrative communications are not part of the EATMP objectives.

• increased international data traffic, requiring the interconnection of networks between

ANSPs,
• the end to end management of communications services to achieve a user perception of
a single integrated transmission system,
• the establishment of new cross border relationships and institutional arrangements,
• the search for a better return on communications investment,
• a greater degree of cohesion between country communications service planning,
• improved flexibility to support new types of applications – the ability to increase capacity
of communications services on demand,
• improved use of existing RF spectrum,
• air to air data communications
2.3.3 Intent and Usage

In order to achieve greater flexibility and capacity across Europe, the EATMP programme is
geared to the harmonisation and integration of systems. As the communications strategy
must be driven by user requirements, an analysis of the new concepts and applications that
are being developed as part of this programme was undertaken. This has demonstrated
that:
• the strategy must define new interoperable communications services derived from these
operational concepts and/or business requirements.
• one of the key enablers for the new services is the provision of more effective
communications components for both terrestrial and airborne systems,
• new communications capabilities can create the opportunity for the emergence of new
operating concepts.
The development of the COM Strategy has been influenced, in terms of opportunities as well
as constraints, by many factors, including: institutional issues, global interoperability,
differences between states, technology opportunities, transition issues, business
considerations etc. It is recognised that communications should be treated from an overall
system viewpoint, rather than as a collection of independent air-ground and ground-ground
components.
The COM Strategy foresees that there must be an evolution of the existing communications
infrastructure, in order to support the new requirements emerging from future ATM concepts.
The COM Strategy describes the main actions required to support this evolution.
It is intended that the strategy will be used by the aeronautical community and industry for
planning transition and migration towards the identified strategic communications solutions.
The Agency and the COM Team will use this document as the basis for developing
proposals for implementation objectives and the work programme. ANSPs will use it for the
development of national strategies and implementation plans.
The aviation community will use the COM strategy to provide justified plans for defending the
COM frequency bands and to guarantee their exclusive use.

3. OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
This section describes the objectives, based on business drivers, the components and
timescales of the strategy.
3.1 Objectives
The business drivers for the COM Strategy correspond to the major strategic objectives
identified in the EUROCONTROL ATM strategy for the years 2000+, namely:
1. Safety - to deploy in a timely manner communications services and infrastructure which
are reliable, secure and consistent with the new functionality required to support the
operating concepts which are necessary to achieve the overall safety targets.
2. Security – to adopt communications techniques in support of new mechanisms and

procedures to enhance the response of ATM to security threats and events affecting
flights or the ATM itself.
3. Economy (Cost Effectiveness) - to adopt communications techniques that reflect the best
business practices and utilise appropriate technical solutions for best use of resources.
(Business efficiency and airline competitiveness makes it essential that services are
provided in the most economic manner.)
4. Capacity - to improve use of communications resources and support operational
improvements and new operating concepts which are dependent on increased use of
data, and interoperability between distributed systems components.
5. National Security and Defence Requirements - to improve the effectiveness of existing,
and determine new, mechanisms, criteria and structures to enhance civil-military
cooperation and coordination..
6. Environment - to provide better communications as an enabler to improved flight
planning, thereby achieving environmental benefits through improved flight
effectiveness.
7. Human involvement and commitment - "To ensure human involvement and commitment
to support the change to future ATM so that operational, technical and support staff can
operate effectively, efficiently and safely within their capabilities and obtain challenge
and job satisfaction."
8. Uniformity - to ensure that common standards are adopted and implemented globally for
aeronautical communications, and to continue the harmonisation and integration of the
communications infrastructure throughout the ECAC area.
9. Service Quality - "To foster, promote and enhance the use of ISO9000 or similar
recognised quality standards in the provision of gate-to-gate ATM services."
The primary objective of the COM Strategy is therefore to provide the framework for the
development of a safe, efficient and cost-effective set of interoperable communications
solutions which support, in a globally compatible manner and with due regard for backward
compatibility, the evolution of European Air Traffic Management (ATM) and other identified
air navigation services for the ECAC area to the year 2020. Improved communications
solutions are seen as enabler for the operational improvements necessary to meet the
performance targets derived in accordance with the Strategic Performance Framework.
The strategy also recognises that co-ordination will be necessary with external bodies (EU,
ICAO, FAA, EASA, JAA etc.).

3.2 Operational Improvements

The following operational improvements or sets thereof, which have a communications
dependency, are identified in the EUROCONTROL ATM Strategy for the years 2000+.
• Airspace Structure Optimisation and FUA
• Free Routes
• ATFM
• Automation of tasks
• Redistribution of Control Tasks
• Transfer of Separation Responsibilities
• Air/ground Co-operation
• Sequencing and Metering
• Surface Management
• Airport Capacity Management
• All Weather Operations
• Collaborative Decision Making applications
• System-Wide Information Management applications

The main enablers identified so far to support these improvements are:
• 8.33kHz spacing
• Air/ground data communications infrastructure
• Ground data and voice communications infrastructure
• Extended interconnection of computer systems (AOC, Airports, ATM)
• Data exchange with external areas
• CPDLC and ADS (for downlink a/c parameters)
• ADS-B
• Airport datalink systems
3.3 Technical Improvements

In addition, the following technical improvements driven by technology evolution in the
communications and informatics environment will deliver benefits in terms of reduced costs
and/or increased quality and/or continuing availability of communications:
• Common IP digital infrastructure (PENS)
• Common ground message passing infrastructure (AMHS in PENS)
• Voice interconnection based on ISDN QSIG (PENS)
• Voice over IP (PENS)
• Distributed Systems Network Management (PENS, System-wide)
• New/emerging technology for mobile communications (Mobile Network Services)

• Defence and management of the aeronautical communications radio spectrum

(System-wide)
• Use of Commercial Off-the-shelf technology and services (System-wide)
• Co-ordinated architectural and systems engineering approach to the design of
communications services (System-wide)
• Maintenance and improvement of security mechanisms to protect aeronautical
communications. (System-wide)
3.4 Components
The communication strategy addresses communication services, subdivided into:
• Data communications services, providing end-to-end connectivity (application to
application) and broadcast capability for air-ground, air-air, and ground-ground application
purposes between ANSPs, aircraft, airlines, airports and external organisations e.g.
military.
• Voice communications services, providing the end-to-end and broadcast voice capability
for air-ground, air-air and ground-ground purposes between ANSPs, aircraft, airlines,
airports and external organisations e.g. military, using terrestrial and/or wireless
technology
and the supporting network services, subdivided into:
• The Pan-European Fixed Network Services, (PENS) providing the international ground
telecommunications infrastructure by the interconnection of national infrastructures,
including connections to airlines, airports and external organisations, for voice and for
data.
• The Mobile Network Services, (MNS) providing the communications means between
mobiles (aircraft or vehicles) and between mobiles and ground elements, for data and
voice over wireless links (radio, satellite and other), including network systems
management.
The scope and nature of these are described in section 6 of this document.
3.5 Timescales
The purpose of the strategy is to define the route by which the goals may ultimately be met.
The incremental changes identified by the strategy have been positioned within the time
periods considered for practical purposes in the EUROCONTROL ATM strategy for the years
2000+:
• Immediate (2005-2006) and Short term – from 2007 until 2011
The main activities will be the introduction of the new data communications services
(based on CNS/ATM-1), and of an integrated ground voice/data international
infrastructure, the support and management of interoperable services for flight and
radar data processing, the introduction of the ATN internet for air/ground
communication, and the introduction and support of ground/mobile services.
• Medium term – from 2012 until 2015
The main activities will be the deployment of enhanced data communications services
derived from operational and business requirements, the further integration of
air/ground and ground services to provide a seamless distributed communications
infrastructure.

• Long term – from 2016 until 2020

The main activities will be the enhancement of data communications services towards
usage for more safety-critical exchanges in support of new operating concepts that
focus on greater flexibility in the use of airspace, and the introduction new of
air/ground communications technology to improve spectrum utilisation.

Baseline 2005 2007 Short 2011 Medium 2015 Long 2020
ACARS (A/G),
Early DLA’s ÎLINK 2000+ Services Ö CASCADE Stream 2 services
End-to
End OLDI, ASTERIX (G/G) ÎFMTP Ö CASCADE Stream 1 services Ö Safety Critical
Data Datalink Services
Information Distribution Î International AMHS
Services over AFTN, AMHS Ö New data storage, access and
ÎMsg. Apps. over AMHS Distribution services
End-to R/T (4444) cfr Note

Ö Enhanced / selective call & digital voice
End VCS / ISDN Î QSIG
Voice
Conferencing ÖVoice over IP (SIP-based services)
Services
ACARS (data),
Mobile VDL 2 Ö Enhanced A/G
Network 25kHz DSB AM (New Systems)
Services Î Extended 8.33kHz
8.33kHz DSB AM
Pan- MFC/R2, ISDN, QSIG

European
(Fixed) X.25
Network Frame Relay
Services Î Seamless Network Systems Management
Asynch Transfer Î High QoS IP network
Mode, TDM services
Note : Doc 4444 -ATM/501 Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Air Traffic Management 14th Edition 2001
Figure 1 Communication Strategy Timescales

Î = Start of operational use. Ö = Provisional, dependent on feasibility and CBA.
Page 10 Proposed Issue Edition Number: 6.0

3.6 Users of the strategy

The aeronautical community encompasses a wide range of user groups, service providers
and infrastructure manufacturers, each of which has its specific needs and expectations. The
diverse and sometimes conflicting interests will mean that there may be no best solution but
that trade-offs have to be accepted.
Common to all of them is the expectation that the strategy allows for common procedures
applied uniformly throughout the ECAC airspace to support seamless Air Traffic Services
and for interoperability based on minimum global equipage standards and ability to cope with
varying aircraft capabilities.
3.6.1 Airspace users

Airlines, general aviation, military organisations. They expect that the strategy leads to a well
defined process of communication service provision which take into account the
considerable investment, the long planning lead times, the cost of retrofits, short times for
return of benefit, competitive communication market and coexistence of civil and military
procedures.
3.6.2 Air Navigation Service providers (ANSPs)

States, public and private organisations, military organisations which provide the Air Traffic
services. They expect that the strategy enables increased ANSP productivity and improved
safety in the face of expected demand.
3.6.3 Airports
Within the framework of the implementation of enhanced and Integrated Tower Systems
(ITS), all major airports will be equipped with an extensive information system.
Communication with mobile ground entities is important, and additional interfaces based on
new technologies will add to the complexity of this domain.
3.6.4 Communication Service providers

Organisations whose business relates to the provision of aeronautical communications
services. They expect that the strategy allows them to guide their research and development
activities so as to be able to provide the appropriate services when they are required.
3.7 Context
3.7.1 Relationship to other strategies

The Communications Strategy is one of a number of strategies being developed in support of
air navigation services in the ECAC area. Figure 2 illustrates the relationship of this strategy
to other strategies, including the EUROCONTROL ATM Strategy for the years 2000+, the
European Convergence and Implementation Programme (ECIP) objectives and the
EUROCONTROL work programme, and to the Overall CNS/ATM Architecture.

3.7.2 The Communications Context
The communications context maps closely to the services context defined in the EATMS
Context and Scope Document (CSD). The most significant change from the viewpoint of
provision of communication services is the extension of the current CNS/ATM context to
Gate-to-gate. Figure 3 illustrates the context to which this strategy relates, and is referenced
in the more detailed text in section 6 of this document.
EUROCONTROL ATM
ECAC ‘90’s strategy for the Overall CNS/ATM
years 2000 + Architecture
SUR Strategy COM Strategy NAV Strategy
National
study issues implementation actions
Strategies
pre-requisites
deliverables
Budget Work ECIP Local
Programme Objectives CIPDs
Figure 2 Relationship to other strategies

EXTERNAL MET, SAR, Air Defence, etc.
AIRPORT
AIRBORNE
REGIONAL
ATSP CFMU, EAD,
CRCO, etc.
INTRA-CENTRE
(including ATS/ATM military)
INTER -CENTRE
(including ATS/ATM military)
NATIONAL /REGIONAL
GATE TO GATE
Figure 3 Context Diagram

Work has been undertaken within EUROCONTROL to map Operational Improvements to
performance requirements (the Strategic Performance Framework document) and to the
Enablers. This work will be taken into account by the Communications Domain and the
progress on the COM improvements will be monitored against the above.
4. REQUIREMENTS
This section describes the operational requirements of the different communications users
on the basis of which the communication services will be defined.
4.1 Introduction
Communications is an enabling service, providing the means by which user requirements for
interchange of information are met. Accordingly, the communications strategy has been
developed by means of a requirements driven process.
Figure 4 illustrates this process, with the linkage of user requirements through the
applications that are defined to fulfil these requirements, to the definition of the non-
functional requirements such as performance; quality of service etc., known collectively as
required communication performance (RCP) that have been (or are being) defined to meet
these requirements. Traceability should also be established to ensure that the
communications services provided can be associated directly with an established user need.

USER REQUIREMENTS
CONCEPTS HIGH LEVEL STRATEGY
CONSTRAINTS/
DRIVERS
APPLICATIONS BENEFITS
NON-FUNCTIONAL FUNCTIONAL
REQUIREMENTS REQUIREMENTS
Communications Strategy
Surveillance Strategy
Navigation Strategy
SERVICES
Traceability
TRANSPORT
SUB-NETS
Figure 4 Communications Strategy Positioning
The goal has been to develop a strategy that is a requirements driven, rather than
technology lead. The capabilities of current and new technologies are taken into account as
part of the constraints and drivers that act upon the strategy
An important principle of the strategy is that requests for higher reliability and integrity of
communications should be driven by real need rather than assumptions of the capability of
new technology.
4.2 Airspace User Services

The Airspace User Services, as identified in the EATMS Taxonomy of Air Navigation
Services, are the drivers for this communications strategy. They are represented in Figure 5
and are summarised below.
• Air Traffic Management, which is further sub-divided into Airborne ATM2, and Air Traffic
Services (ATC, FIS, Air Traffic Advisory Services and Alerting Service), Airspace
Management and Air Traffic Flow Management,
• Navigation Services, including ground-based and satellite based services,
• Flight Planning, which includes Weather Services and AIS,
• Aerodrome (Airport) services,
• Auxiliary services (Route charges and incident reporting),
• Search and Rescue (SAR).
2
Airborne ATM: Functional capability interfacing with the ground part to attain the general objectives of ATM

Figure 5 EATMS Taxonomy for Airspace User Services

In the ANS Taxonomy, communications is classified as “support services”, which are
provided as required to facilitate the delivery of airspace user services.
The following sections identify the requirements drivers for the communications strategy,
based on the service decomposition described in the above taxonomy.
4.3 Requirements of the ATM communications domain

ATM requires a mix of high priority, safety-critical but short interchanges between controllers
and pilots, and also lower priority, but larger information flows between centres. In the
future, the concept of “Collaborative Decision Making” will place increasing emphasis on
three-party exchanges, involving airports, airlines and ATM.
4.3.1 ATS communications
4.3.1.1 General
The key requirement for the ATS communications domain is to support the overall objectives
of European ANSPs in providing air traffic control services to their customers. The central
elements of these overall objectives are to improve air traffic management through more
effective planning and more efficient airspace management and air traffic control. In order to
achieve these objectives, suitable communications services must be provided to the
customers. The requirements can be considered as internal to ANSPs (such as ATC

centres) and external (where ANSPs are influenced by external requirements such as from
airlines, general aviation and military).
The provision of telecommunications services in accordance with the requested
requirements is subject to numerous technological as well as administrative influences. With
the increasing complexity of the systems, and the threats from cyber-terrorism, questions
relating to system security are gaining in importance. An optimal relation between system
security and economic efficiency must be found.
4.3.1.2 Air Traffic Control (ATC)

End-to-end voice communications between pilots and controllers, as well as between
controllers is central to ATC strategy for the short and medium term. In the longer term,
increasing use of datalinks will mean that voice traffic is reduced for routine ATC
communications, however, it will remain the primary mechanism for emergency and critical
safety related exchanges. The key requirement is for controllers and pilots to have (virtually)
immediate access to a voice communications channel when needed for safety
communications to or from an aircraft. Similarly, immediate access to a ground voice
communication channel is needed between controllers.
Datalink services are seen as a means of reducing controller and pilot workload, thereby
increasing efficiency and allowing higher traffic densities. Air-ground and ground-ground data
messages flow in both directions and are generally short but time and/or safety critical. Data
integrity and prevention of unauthorised modification or message sending are also of high
importance.
Co-operative ATC involves delegation of responsibility of maintaining separation to aircrew.
The new airspace regime includes Free Route Airspace. These new concepts are imposing
new requirements on the communication element, including air-to-air communications.
4.3.1.3 Flight Information Services (FIS)

Flight Information Services includes Automated Terminal Information Services (ATIS), and
are used for distribution of local environmental information to aircraft. Current systems use
voice broadcasts, and will be supported by data communications in the future. Information
flows are unidirectional (ground to air), fairly large but repetitive. (The user population
changes but the information is fairly long-lived.)
4.3.1.4 Air Traffic Advisory Services and Alerting Service

ATC advisory services provide advice and information to assist pilots in the safe conduct of
flight. The Alerting Service comes into effect when an aircraft is overdue or missing, and a
communications search is initiated to determine when the aircraft last contacted an ATC
facility. Future improvements in this area may include using satellite-based or other new
communications technologies to provide controllers and search and rescue personnel with
aircraft location information and discrete aircraft identification of downed or distressed
aircraft.
4.3.2 Air Space Management

ASM communications is exclusively concerned with ground communications. Voice is used
today and will continue to be used into the medium term. For data, the exchange of
notifications has been identified so far as the only transaction type in ASM communications.
Both point-to-point and multicast transfers are required.

4.3.3 Air Traffic Flow Management

Flow management communications is primarily concerned with ground communications
except for the future possibility of flight plan and slot allocation messages between aircraft
and ATC. Voice is used today and will continue to be used into the medium term. For data,
information is exchanged requesting one of the following three service types: file transfer,
message exchange, interactive transaction.
The majority of ATFM information is exchanged in a point-to-point mode. Some information
is multicast to several ATC centres (mainly concerning flight plan details) and some
information is broadcast to all ATFM users (mainly concerning general ATFM measures).
4.4 Navigation communications requirements

GNSS use will require the provision of G/A and G/G communication facilities:
GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) will use the VHF navigation band (108-118
MHz) to provide the augmentation information to the aircraft in support of the approach and
landing phase. SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System) will require a ground network
to interconnect the various systems that constitute the ground segment of the SBAS. The
SBAS system currently in development in Europe is EGNOS and a second generation of
SBAS based upon GALILEO could appear around 2010.
A GRAS (Ground-based Regional Augmentation System) based on air-ground data link
communications is under development by ICAO as a complement to SBAS.
Evolution of the NAV strategy may identify new requirements for the COM domain.
4.5 Flight Planning services requirements
4.5.1 Aeronautical Meteorological Information Service
Aeronautical meteorological services communications includes a distributed communications

environment with Aeronautical Meteorological Offices or Meteorological Watch Offices acting
as main sources of communications and a larger number of entities acting as recipients.
4.5.2 Aeronautical Information Services (AIS)

The overwhelming majority of AIS communication will flow on the ground in a star-type-like
topology throughout Europe. However, the AIS communication service area includes the
whole European airspace.
The EAD programme provides a common reference database for AIS data for Europe.
4.6 Airport Services

Airports are required to meet the communications needs of aircraft at parking or gate for
airport handling services airlines and ATC. When the aircraft is parked or standing at the
gate, it supports intensive exchanges between the crew, the aircraft handling, the flight
attendants and the airport services, including ATC. Most of these are handled manually
(using media exchange such as floppy discs) or by wire, infrared or VHF. However, due to
the imprecise parking arrangements of aircraft, a wireless datalink may provide a better
solution for the future.
Emerging concepts, such as CDM, require that ATC, AOC and airport systems are
interconnected.

4.7 Auxiliary services communications requirements

These services are of a more administrative nature. In general terms, they imply the “service”
of recording and archiving all kinds of operational data, and subsequent retrieval/provision of
that data to the organisations dealing with cost recovery (billing) as well as accident/incident
investigation. Example usage is for CRCO and Accident Investigation.
4.8 Search and Rescue (SAR)

SAR requires the distribution of flight plan information and/or last radar picture or latest ADS
position in respect of overdue flights. This distribution may go outside the aeronautical
community, so interworking with non-ANSP communications infrastructures is important.
However, the information flows are generally low, so this is not a major driver of the strategy.
4.9 Other Communications Requirements
4.9.1 Surveillance communications requirements

Surveillance is not identified as an airspace user service, but is itself a “supporting service” in
the taxonomy. However, it has communications requirements that impact the
communications service strategy.
The datalink requirements in the area of surveillance can be divided into ground-based
surveillance and non-ground-based (including air-to-air) surveillance. Ground-based
communication is already used extensively for radar data distribution. The initial
implementation of SSR Mode S in the ECAC area brings requirements for communication as
a result of the data connections for the Mode S stations, and the increase in time-critical data
communications.
In terms of non-ground-based surveillance technology, contract-based ADS is standardised

in ICAO for use over the ATN and broadcast ADS (ADS-B) is based on broadcast data link
communications. ADS-B is under investigation as a possible surveillance tool for ECAC, and
this may generate new communications requirements.
The ADS-B operational concept needs to be consolidated to address the safety
requirements and as a result, the communication requirements.
Surface movement guidance is seen as means of improving both safety and capacity at
Airports by the provision of improved ground surveillance and automation of information on
surface movement to both the Pilot and Controller. The requirements are for Surveillance;
Routing; Guidance and Control services. An Operational Concept has been developed and
from this it is evident that there are Communications requirements for both the ground
Surveillance systems and for the provision of information delivered via Mobile
communications services (Datalink). The requirement is to provide an accurate current
situation and ground navigation picture to the Cockpit Traffic Display and to provide incursion
and proximity warnings. There is also the intent to provide Situation picture information to the
Airport, however the requirement for this is still under development.
Evolution of the SUR strategy may identify new requirements for the COM domain.
4.9.2 AOC, AAC and APC

The growing commercial importance of Aeronautical Operational Control communications,
Aeronautical Administrative Communications and Aeronautical Passenger Communications
means that EATMP Communications Strategy cannot be evolved in isolation from these
needs. Concepts such as Collaborative Decision Making increase the likelihood and

desirability of communication between ANSPs, Airports and Airlines. At worst, these

communications requirements may compete for bandwidth with ATM communications;
however, there are opportunities to collaborate with the appropriate organisations who are
addressing these areas in order to achieve costs savings through common standards,
technologies and use of resources.
4.9.3 CIVIL/Military Co-ordination

ATM has to support National Security in respect of the identification of flights entering a
State’s national airspace, day-to-day military operations and exercises and, in times of crisis,
the ability for military authorities to resume responsibility for ATM. Air safety measures are
required at all times and under all circumstances and proper coordination is required to
ensure provision of and access to airspace in accordance with military needs. These
activities can only be effective through the exchange of both strategic and real-time ATM
information between civil and military organizations which reflect specific communications
requirements.
4.9.4 Communications Security

Safety-critical communications between ANSPs, and between ANSPs and aircraft, need to
be protected from unauthorised interference, including blocking or delay, corruption,
modification, masquerade and diversion.
4.9.5 Contingency Concepts

There are also overall requirements for survivability and fallback operation, covered under
the heading of “Contingency Concepts”, and for ongoing research and development activities
relating to new technologies that may be beneficial for aeronautical communications
purposes.
4.9.6 Required Communication Performance (RCP)
Required Communication Performance addresses the performance parameters that a

communications service must achieve in order to fulfil identified operational requirements.
To date, communications requirements have addressed mainly the functional level (what
information is exchanged) rather than the performance (how fast?, what delays?). Work is
now under way in operational panels of ICAO (OPLINK PANEL) and in ODIAC in this area.
4.9.7 OATA
The EUROCONTROL Overall ATM/CNS Target Architecture, OATA, was created as an

answer to the need for a technical framework for the implementation of the EUROCONTROL
ATM 2000+ Strategy. As such, it places expectations and constraints on the implementation
of the COM strategy,
5. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS
This section describes the issues, which influence (either as constraints or as new possible
solutions) the definition of the communication services and their implementation, e.g.
institutional issues, technology trends.

5.1 Business Environment
5.1.1 European Union Legislation
5.1.1.1 Overview
The European Commission proposed a regulatory approach with the objective of achieving a
Single European Sky. The objectives of the legislation are to improve and reinforce safety, to
restructure European airspace as a function of air traffic flow, rather than according to
national borders, to create additional capacity and to increase the overall efficiency of the air
traffic management system (ATM).
This can be achieved by a more effective and integrated air traffic management architecture
and by ensuring that this architecture is based on demand driven service provision. The
legislation will enhance cross-boarder co-ordination, remove administrative and
organisational bottlenecks in the area of decision-making and enhance enforcement in ATM.
The legislative package comprises four regulations covering the essential elements for a
seamless European Air Traffic Management System.
• Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10
March 2004 laying down the framework for the creation of the single European sky (the
framework Regulation)
March 2004 on the provision of air navigation services in the single European sky (the
service provision Regulation)
March 2004 on the organisation and use of the airspace in the single European sky (the
airspace Regulation)
March 2004 on the interoperability of the European Air Traffic Management network (the
interoperability Regulation
The regulations provide a platform for improved technological progress. It will be possible to
focus research and development on compatible products in the harmonised ATM market.
The implications of single sky regulations of greatest relevance to this Comms strategy are
discussed below.
5.1.1.2 Air Navigation Services

In accordance with the service provision Regulation "Air navigation service providers may
avail themselves of the services of other service providers that have been certified in the
Community". The certification scheme in fact "confers on air navigation service providers the
possibility of offering their services to other air navigation service providers, airspace users
and airports within the European Community
5.1.1.3 Interoperability
The objective of this Regulation is to achieve interoperability between the different systems,
constituents and associated procedures of the European air traffic management network,
taking due account of the relevant international rules. This Regulation aims also at ensuring
the co-ordinated and rapid introduction of new agreed and validated concepts of operations
or technology in air traffic management.

The Regulation requires that “air traffic management systems and their constituents shall be
designed, built, maintained and operated, using the appropriate and validated procedures, in
such a way so as to ensure the seamless operation of the European air traffic management
network at all times and for all phases of flight. Seamless operation can be expressed, in
particular, in terms of information sharing, including the relevant operational status
information, common understanding of information, comparable processing performances
and the associated procedures enabling common operational performances agreed for the
whole or parts of the air traffic management network.”
5.1.2 Air Traffic Service Providers

There have been significant changes in the business environment in which the
communications services necessary to support air navigation services are provided. These
include:
• increased requirement for international information interchange to facilitate more
effective use of air space,
• the “privatisation” of some national ANSPs has meant that there is a greater commercial
focus and cost/benefit driven analysis of all potential new investment than in the past.
This is also leading to competition between providers of Air Traffic Services,
• ATS providers have very different budget constraints in which they must function, which
impacts their capability for deploying new technology,
• delegation of some national ATS responsibilities on a co-operative basis to neighbouring
states or regional ATS providers,
• rapidly changing technology means that there has to be flexibility in any communications
strategy to adapt to and incorporate beneficial developments in a timely manner,
• the growth of telecommunications service providers, and the increasing acceptance in
some States of their role for both administrative and ATS-related traffic (Outsourcing of
services is already prevalent in some states.).
This changing business environment in the ANSP community places constraints on, and
creates new opportunities for, the COM strategy with respect to:
• compatibility with different national political regimes,
• service and maintenance of common equipment and software,
• flexibility to take advantage of new technologies,
• freedom to formulate beneficial collaborative arrangements between and across states,
• transition and migration arrangements to recognise that not all states can move at the
same speed towards any particular technological goal.
• Transition planning should take account of backward compatibility and the
decommissioning of existing systems. Moreover, COTS products are not developed and
maintained primarily for aviation, therefore, backward compatibility; the long term
availability of maintenance support is an important constraint.
In practice this means that future European aeronautical communications services will
become a “federated responsibility”:
• technical approaches and solutions will be derived from this EATMP strategy and related
R&D projects,
• the service level requirements will be set through international initiatives under the COM
team,

• service provision will be addressed nationally and regionally based on economic and
political factors.
5.1.3 Airspace Users

Airspace users, particularly the commercial airlines, have to be able to justify investment in
new avionics systems in terms of business benefits, and need to get a satisfactory return on
investment. This may place constraints on the rates of change, which can be achieved,
given the relatively high costs of equipment, loss of service time, certification etc. associated
with technology upgrades. Airspace users are particularly likely to favour ATS solutions,
which build on, or are harmonised with, existing investment programmes for non-ATS
purposes.
5.1.4 Airports
Airports, although they may have different commercial regimes, have in common the need to
collaborate with local ATS, CFMU and airlines by sharing information. Examples of this
include the sharing of information on air traffic departures and arrivals, in order to co-ordinate
with ground management facilities, and information on surface movements in order to
optimise the occupancy of the infrastructure (gates; taxiways etc).
5.2 Institutional Issues

The following definition of the term ‘Institutional Issues’ has been accepted by the ICAO
ATNP/WG1, and is the meaning applied in this COM strategy:
“Issues related to ownership, control and responsibility for correct implementation and
operation of systems which involve more than one state or organisation”
The following institutional issues arise from the COM Strategy:-
• VHF frequency assignment,
• addressing and numbering schemes,
• centralised databases,
• consistent overall network management – including span of control, ownership and costs.
It is assumed that this would be accomplished using distributed management processes
and tools in order to meet the institutional requirements of national autonomy,
• provision of end to end communication services – this covers technical, commercial and
legal (liability) and operational matters,
• competition for resources (network capacity and required frequency spectrum),
• security measures, and the requirements for a common EATMP security policy,
• the future EATMS system may be constructed from autonomous component systems that
are independently developed; owned and maintained. The organisation and management
processes developed for underlying communications systems will have to take this into
account.
The Institutional Issues, which relate to the COM strategy have been grouped as follows:
• Policy and Regulatory Issues – Transition and Operational Organisation, Regulation,
Liability, Financial Arrangements,
• Implementation Issues – Security, Service requirements, Certification and Testing,
Network Topology, System Management Framework,

• Strategic Co-ordination Issues – Ongoing Co-ordination, Standards and Document

Hierarchy,
• Management Issues – Systems Management across national boundaries.
Institutional issues present a potential risk to the realisation of those communication projects
involving a number of states. Hence, at an early stage in such a project, the impact of
institutional issues should be evaluated and action taken to reduce the risk; it being
understood that such action may modify the proposed technical solution. The separation
between regulatory and service provision of some ANSPs needs to be taken into account in
such evaluation.
It may be appropriate to conduct a study on institutional issues, in order to produce
guidelines on how to deal with the matter in communication projects. It is recommended that
the lessons learnt from existing or proposed COM projects be taken into account.
5.3 Technology
New technology is constantly emerging and the applicability of each advance to aeronautical
communications has to be evaluated. In addition, the operating concepts that are being
developed for the medium-to-long term can be expected to place new requirements on the
COM domain, such as air-to-air, and broadcast. To ensure that appropriate solutions are
available at the right time, there has to be a continuing investment in R&D, which must be
undertaken with the recognition that not every promising technological advance will
necessarily evolve into a successful aeronautical communications component.
COTS products will be used wherever possible. However, such products based on latest
technology do not always guarantee stable telecommunication solutions, which are required
in the ATM environment. Therefore, the investment needed to introduce COTS products has
to be justified through CBA.
It has also to be recognised that technology is constantly aging, and at some time a point is
reached where it is no longer technically or commercially viable to maintain an elderly
technology. For this reason it is necessary to adopt the concept of “sunset dates” for
technologies, indicating the date at which it is expected that a technology will be at the end
of its useful life for international use.
The table below indicates some of the communications and related technologies, which are
impacting on the communications strategy.

Technology type Fixed Mobile
Bearer Services and Leased lines, Virtual Private High Frequency Radio, Very High
communications media Networks, Public Internet, Frequency Radio, Satellite
Note 1. Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber services, Mode S radar, Microwave
Lines, Satellite services, Radio, Wideband CDMA.
Wavelength division multiplexing.
Networked services, X.25, Frame Relay, TCP/IP HF datalink, VHF datalink, ARINC
interconnection, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode Note 622/623, ATN internet, Wideband
data transport Note 2. 3, Integrated Services Digital CDMA, Mode S datalink, AMSS,
Network, Public Switched ARINC 631/618 (AOA)
Telephone Network, Private
Network Node Interface, Voice
over IP, ATN internet
Applications Digitised voice services Note 4, Voice services, CNS/ATM-1 air
Message Handling, Systems applications set, FANS-1/A
Management Note 5, existing application set, ACARS message
ground information services, services, AOC, AAC, APC
CNS/ATM ground applications set.
Information HyperText Mark-up Language, ASN.1, Extended Mark-up Language
representation Note 6 (XML), Audio, Video, Image and Multimedia standards
Software and Object-oriented technology, DCE, CORBA, JAVA
environment Note 7.
Note 1 – Digital bearers for voice and data are available and in use today, for ground-ground
communications.
Note 2 – Fixed Data network technology is evolving from X.25 and point-to-point circuits,
through Frame Relay towards Asynchronous Transfer Mode. In addition, services using
TCP/IP have become the main choice for network service provision. The use of web-related
technology, and related security issues, will need to be evaluated for non-mission critical
exchanges.
Note 3 – Asynchronous Transfer Mode is intended for local and wide-area networking and
eventually for voice, data, and multimedia services throughout the public telecommunications
system. Asynchronous Transfer Mode may be introduced into data networks by operators of
large LANs, Virtual LANs (“VLANS”), and on wide area networks that link LANs together to
provide corporate/private networks.
Note 4 – New digital signalling systems are available which provide improved services and
management, and opportunities for cost reduction.
Note 5 – The majority of management systems deployed today are concerned with network
configuration and network monitoring, but do not follow common standards. There is a trend
towards increased automation of the monitoring, decision making and configuration
management functions. A “single image” systems management environment (where any
resource can be monitored and/or controlled in the context of its role in the whole network) is
the long-term target.
Note 6 - Text mark up languages, such as HyperText Mark-up Language (HTML) that
provide a means of identification, association and retrieval of text according to dynamically
defined search criteria,
Note 7 – Developments in software technology that are of particular significance are:

• “Middleware” as a means of implementing open systems using “off-the-shelf”

components, or components from different manufacturers,
• Business Objects that permit the construction of systems as a series of building blocks,
and the encapsulation of legacy systems as “objects”,
• Data Warehousing, which uses intelligent query tools to identify and retrieve data from
large distributed pools of information,
• New distributed application build and execute languages such as JAVA.
The emergence of these technologies mean that future communications requirements may
be addressed by means of new software technology with built-in standardised information
distribution mechanisms, rather than by the development of purpose-designed
communications applications and associated protocols.
5.4 Standardisation and regulation aspects

Standardisation bodies yield standards and take appropriate actions to foster the
dissemination and use of these standards. Standardisation bodies are not empowered to
put into force telecommunication standards supporting ATS. The standardisation bodies
developing telecommunication standards used by the aviation community are ITU, ICAO,
ISO/OSI, EUROCAE/RTCA, ETSI, and EUROCONTROL. From the regulation standpoint,
there are two main streams of standards, binding standards and voluntary standards.
Binding standards are developed under the umbrella of a sector-related regulatory
environment. Voluntary standards are developed as a means of compliance with essential
requirements mandated by regulatory materials. The choice of a given standard should not
unbalance market conditions, for example the standard should not depend on any patent or
fees to pay for Intellectual Property Rights.
The specifications of a telecommunication standard evolve overtime with backward
compatibility in the best cases. Complex functionality is also specified with mandatory and
optional features to be implemented rising critical interoperability issues. A standardisation
process is not self-sufficient to ensure global and timely interoperability of equipment
operated in an operational environment. Other aspects linked to the target domain such as
the regional operational context, timeframe, etc, need to be considered.
Several regulatory authorities are empowered to put into force telecommunication standards
ITU, ICAO, EU/ETSI. Regulations enforced by these authorities can apply to the
communication services supporting ATS. Cross-regulation consistency is ensured during the
regulation elaboration processes. The most recent evolutions of the regulatory environment
are:
• The EU Single European Sky regulation framework
• The EUROCONTROL revised Convention with stronger mechanisms to handle binding
decisions
• The EUROCONTROL regulation entities created to address all appropriate ATM
regulation matters (safety, interoperability, performance, and security).
The EUROCONTROL Permanent Commission approved a number of ATM safety regulatory
requirements, known as ESARRs. These requirements are mandatory for all
EUROCONTROL Member States and aim at harmonising the ATM safety regulation across
the ECAC area.
In particular, ESARR 4 relates to the use of risk assessment and mitigation, including hazard
identification, in Air Traffic Management when introducing and/or planning changes to the
ATM System.

ESARR 6 deals with the implementation of software safety assurance systems, which ensure
that the risks associated with the use of software in safety related ground-based ATM
systems, are reduced to a tolerable level.
5.5 Commercial Network Operators
5.5.1 Public Telecommunications Operators (TELCOs) strategy

The majority of TELCOs has a strategy to move from being a commodity (basic service)
supplier, to being an added value information and managed service supplier. This is
reflected in the changes in the supporting infrastructure – from copper and simple cross point
switches to high capacity fibre and intelligent switches and the addition of mobile (terrestrial
and satellite) systems. There will be considerable variance in terms of time and function in
the introduction of these services across the ECAC states.
5.5.2 Passenger Communication Service providers

Service operators are now offering high bandwidth air-ground communications for passenger
use, including use of mobile telephones in the cabin, and high speed Internet access.
Commercial airlines have been quick to adopt these services to gain a competitive edge over
non-equipped rivals, and also as an additional source of revenue.
5.5.3 Impact of liberalisation and competition
• The impact of competition and the need to offer an international service will accelerate
the creation of consortia. This will simplify cross border network interconnection.
• It will also stimulate the introduction of new technology, which will lead to a better,
guaranteed QoS.
• Competition for SATCOM business from the new service suppliers will drive down both
land based and traditional SAT carrier tariffs.
5.5.4 Specific “Aeronautical” Service Providers

SITA and ARINC are both global service providers specialising in services to the
aeronautical community. For air-ground use, these services will be delivered by VHF, HF
and Satellite.
Both providers have indicated a commitment to support datalink, and are supporting ATN
internet-based services. Other market entrants may also appear in the future, in particular
when low cost satellite services become available. For APC communication, there are other
service providers offering service.
5.5.5 Implications for the ANSPs and other users

ANSPs need to achieve a satisfactory return on investment in existing systems, whilst
retaining the flexibility to adapt to new opportunities for cost reduction or service
enhancement. ANSPs will be able to negotiate “Service Level Agreements” with TELCOs for
the provision of the appropriate service characteristics and quality. The requirement for
different classes of throughput/availability needs to be specified.
In general:

• ANSPs should capitalise on the changes caused by deregulation, consolidation and new
technology to negotiate for service supply. They should ‘go with the flow’ – taking
advantage of new mass market offerings, using these as far as possible to meet their
needs, rather than defining ATC-specific communications services.
• Corporate networks may provide a cost-effective means of consolidating voice and data
traffic with direct control over Quality of Service, and also of assuring a safeguard of
national institution regulations.
• Virtual Private Networks may provide a cost-effective means of interconnecting nodes of
a corporate network through use of a public network service.
• ANSPs need to take account of the diminishing availability of X.25 components, and its
eventual replacement by IP.
• New security services should be investigated by those ANSPs who propose to make use
of public services, especially those which are Internet-based.
• The ability of public services to provide flow control and Quality of Service commitment
needs to be verified.
• ANSPs should ensure that the supplier and architecture used for their new
communications service are capable of handling major increases in traffic. They should
not be traffic demand constrained.
• ANSPs should use the availability of new technology and competition to negotiate new
service level agreements with their suppliers, focussing on the introduction of a shared
responsibility between the communication provider and the ANSP linked to the risk
assessment associated with the communication services to be supported.
5.6 Civil-Military Interoperability

The exchange of flight data between civil and military systems is critical to the
implementation of civil military concepts such as Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) and to build
the Recognised Air Picture (RAP) which is a basic element for the command and control of
military air operations. Additionally, increased interoperability between civil and military
systems, both on the ground and in the air, will be vital to cope with future ATM concepts
when the level of automation is remarkably high.
The preferred way to attain an acceptable level of interoperability will be described in a
Roadmap which will define the coordinated timeframes and path towards future technologic
convergence of both civil and military communication systems. The strategy should be a
major contributor to this objective by indicating well in advance which New Systems are
planned to support the communication services required for civil-military cooperation
functions.
6. COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
This section describes the communication services and the supporting network services
which should be provided in the near, medium and long term future in order to support the
requirements of Air Traffic Management.
6.1 Introduction
The communication strategy addresses communication services, subdivided into:

• Data communications services, providing end-to-end connectivity (application to

application) and broadcast capability for air-ground, air-air, and ground-ground application
purposes between ANSPs, aircraft, airlines, airports and external organisations e.g.
military.
• Voice communications services, providing the end-to-end and broadcast voice capability
for air-ground, air-air and ground-ground purposes between ANSPs, aircraft, airlines,
airports and external organisations e.g. military, using terrestrial and/or wireless
technology
and the supporting network services, subdivided into:
• The Pan-European Fixed Network Services, (PENS) providing the international ground
telecommunications infrastructure by the interconnection of national infrastructures,
including connections to airlines, airports and external organisations, for voice and for
data.
• The Mobile Network Services, (MNS) providing the communications means between
mobiles (aircraft or vehicles) and between mobiles and ground elements, for data and
voice over wireless links (radio, satellite and other), including network systems
management.
Figure 6 provides a pictorial representation of these components of the COM domain. There
are also a number of “system-wide” aspects that cut across all the above components, such
as the use of mass market COTS, safety management, communications security, radio
spectrum resources, end-to end voice characteristics, the ATN, systems management,
directory services and security, and system engineering.
Operational and/or user requirements arising from the sources identified in section 4 of this
document have to be analysed in terms of the functionality and the required communication
performance characteristics. These requirements are then translated into voice or data
services as appropriate. The voice or data services are supported by various network
services, possibly concatenated, falling into either the Mobile or Fixed heading. At the core,
all of the communications and network services are carried over bearers, which may be
physical (copper or fibre) or wireless (radio or satellite).
The short-term communications strategy is driven by today’s operational and user
requirements. Other (as yet unspecified) user requirements may arise in the future, such as
video or multimedia. The strategy is not intended to preclude future extension to address
such requirements.
In the following sections, the scope and purpose of each component is described. There is
also a short list of “Means to achieve ……”, which is intended to give an indication of some of
the activities and tasks or task forces that are currently contributing to the realisation of each
part of the strategy. In addition to the identified activities, the EATMP work programme
defines or will define activities to carry forward the requirements of the strategy.

Voice Communications Services
Pan
Bearer
European Mobile
End-to end Circuits
Network Network
Services &
Services Services
Carriers
(Fixed)
Data Communication Services
Figure 6 The COM domain
6.2 Data communication services
6.2.1 General
Data communications services are the key to improved information exchange in the future,
thereby reducing the load on voice communications services, reducing communications
congestion, improving safety and increasing communications efficiency. They are divided in
the following sections between:
• Air to ground communication services, providing information exchange between aircraft
and ground facilities
• Air-to air communication services, providing a future means to improve air situation
awareness, enhance flight efficiency, and leading towards cooperative ATS
• Ground mobile communication services, providing improved aircraft and vehicle
management at airports, in support of the gate-to-gate concept
• Ground to ground communication services, providing improved information flows between
ATC centres, and to national, central or regional organisations such as Met, Military,
CFMU and CRCO.
Data communications services for aeronautical use are being specified and implemented in
accordance with the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, to provide the end-to-
end communications functionality to meet the users operational requirements, in terms of
functionality and performance. The data communications services described in the following
sections may be peer to peer, multicast, or broadcast, to meet different operational
requirements, and may be delivered over the Pan European Fixed Network Service and/or
the Mobile Network Service described later.

6.2.2 Air-ground data communication services

Air-ground communications services provide the means for communication between
applications in the airborne environment (avionics systems and/or aircrew) and the ground
environment (ATC, AOC, etc.). These services support the integration of airborne and
ground end systems during take-off, climb, en-route, descent, approach and landing flight
phase. The ATC communication services require a network service as offered by the ATN
Internet component of MNS and PENS in order to meet operational performance
requirements.
The ICAO OPLINK Panel and EUROCONTROL Operational Requirements and Data
Processing Team (ODT) are defining operational requirements and “Required
Communication Performance” parameters for controller-pilot communications services.
These parameters can be used to specify appropriate communications services and to select
appropriate underlying network services, as offered by the Pan European Fixed Network
Service (see 6.4) and/or the Mobile Network Service (see 6.5). New concepts in
Surveillance and Navigation will result in new communications requirements, which will be
analysed in the COM domain in order to achieve the most cost-effective and spectrum-
efficient overall communications architecture.
High QoS
Services
CASCADE CASCADE Stream 2

Stream 1
LINK 2000+ Services
ADS-B, TIS-B
2007 2011 2015 2020
Figure 7 Air-ground data services
6.2.3 Programmes
Deployment of air-ground services is driven through two programmes, LINK2000+ and
CASCADE.
The LINK Baseline comprises the following En-Route CPDLC and support Services as
described by EUROCAE ED-110:
• DLIC - Data Link Initiation Capability (log on and contact)
• ACM - ATC Communications Management
• ACL - ATC Clearances (initial subset)
• AMC - ATC Microphone Check
The CASCADE programme is defining the services for deployment beyond LINK2000+, and
comprises two streams. These services include air-ground and air-to-air services.
An implementing rule for datalink services is being developed based on a mandate to
EUROCONTROL from the EU.

ECIP draft objectives ATC08, ATC09, ATC10 and ATC11, also SUR05 and SUR06 relate to
the above programmes.
It may become essential to incorporate the security mechanisms for air-ground data
communications in order to support the more safety-critical applications above.
6.2.4 Transition and coexistence

Some airlines and ANSPs are using similar data communications services based on ARINC
622 (FANS1/A) or on AOA specifications. In the context of the proposed implementing rule
(under development) for datalink services, the coexistence with, and transition from
ARINC622, FANS and AOA to the strategic ATN-based solution needs careful co-ordination
with all interested parties, taking into account the costs and benefits.
6.2.5 Future services

In the medium to long term, additional services will be specified and validated which will
utilise air-ground datalinks. There are already identified needs for information sharing
between ANSPs, Airports, Aircraft and Airlines to enable “Collaborative Decision Making” in
the context of more flexible use of air space, and for surveillance information broadcasts
(TIS-B). In the long term, the higher performance air-ground data services such as
COTRAC. may be introduced, dependent on the availability of a higher QoS air-ground
mobile network, In consequence, new datalink applications will be identified, specified and
validated to meet operational requirements arising in EUROCONTROL and / or ICAO.
Expected benefits include:
• increased safety factor by eliminating human error in interpretation of voice messages.
• improved controller efficiency by reduction of voice interactions with pilots,
• reduced cockpit workload through digital transfer of information, which can be passed
directly to and/or from onboard IT systems,
• enabler for the migration from voice to data,
Where the business case is considered sound, specifications, prototype implementations,
and flight trials will be undertaken, with a view to enabling the adoption of new operational
concepts in the ECAC area.
It is expected that for cost-effective use of mobile network services, ATC data
communications services and AOC communications will continue to share the same
communications channels.
It is also envisaged that in the long term provision may be required to strengthen security
services, such as downlink of encrypted cockpit voice, flight data and cockpit and cabin
video. It is assumed that such services would only be “switched on” in the case of an
intercept or airspace infraction.
6.2.6 Air-air data communication services

It is envisaged that new operational concepts for improved flight effectiveness will require air-
to-air data communications services in the mid term period 2008 to 2011. The strategy is to
analyse such requirements, and thence to derive, specify and validate appropriate new data
communications services, including the consequential networking requirements.

6.2.7 Ground mobile data communication services

The incorporation of the planning and flight phases represented by the Gate to gate concept
into the EATMP work programme has led correspondingly to the need to extend the
communications work programme.
Before a work programme can be put in place to support the communications implications of
this extension, it is necessary to:
• identify the user requirements for applications requiring ground mobile communication
services during the following flight phases: Tactical Planning Phase, Pre-Departure
Phase, Departure-Taxi Phase, Departure Phase, Arrival Phase, Arrival-Taxi Phase, Post
Flight Phase.
• analyse the ground mobile communications requirements of the identified applications
• identify the key technologies that will deliver ground/mobile services
• define how ground mobile communications will be integrated into the overall
communications architecture.
Communications in support of surface movements of other mobiles (not necessarily aircraft,
but possibly providing airport services to aircraft) may also be within this extended remit.
6.2.8 Ground-ground (fixed) data communication services

Ground data communication services are split between
• mainstream ATS/ATM activities, which primarily involve inter-centre communications
either between ATC Centres or with regional units, airports, and AOCs,
• Information Distribution Services, using store-and-forward technologies (AMHS) and in
the longer term, remote data access techniques,
• Other safety-critical data services such as surveillance date distribution communications,
CFMU, EAD,
• “External” services, including Air Defence and Meteorological services,
• Administrative and none-safety-critical services such as CRCO.
6.2.8.1 Inter-centre data communications services

Inter-Centre communications services include services between ATS Units, and between
ATS Units and central or regional units such as the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU).
In general, these services embrace the communication aspects of the operational
applications and are specified to meet the Required Communications Performance (RCP) of
these applications. The COM Domain is responsible to provide, for each communication
service, the appropriate validated specifications, which will themselves, contain requirements
for the underlying network services.
The current services such as OLDI (On Line Data Interchange) and the distribution of flight
plans and airspace data are based on messages represented and encoded with a variety of
techniques (e.g. ADEXP.). There will be some migration of these formatted messages to
structures appropriate for use with the Pan European Fixed Network Services. In particular,
Flight Message Transfer Protocol provides for coordination and transfer of flight-related
information between ATS units over IP.
In the medium to long term a migration needs to take place to standard data representation
and encoding techniques (e.g. Abstract Syntax Notation.1 standard). This transition process
will need close co-ordination with the application owners (e.g. FDPS).

New inter-centre communication services will emerge in the medium term to support,
amongst others,
• access to remote databases
• Flight data processing interoperability
• Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) processes between airports, airlines and ATS.
The above emerging communication services require that the ATC, AOC and airports
systems are interlinked.
Appropriate validated specifications must be developed for each service, and the associated
network requirements must be stated. Where transition from existing ad-hoc or bilateral
specifications is necessary, an appropriate transition and migration path will be defined.
The layered architecture recommended by the COM Strategy will enable the phasing out of
non-standard applications and proprietary protocols thus allowing the transition to mass
market COTS products where feasible.
6.2.8.2 Information Distribution Services

The AFTN has been the cornerstone for aeronautical message interchange for the last 30
years. Both the technology and the specifications are out-dated, and the Aeronautical
Message Handling Service (AMHS) has been specified by ICAO for future message handling
applications. AMHS offers larger message sizes and support of binary information types
(such as BUFR). Some ANSPs are already deploying AMHS technology for international
messaging applications to replace the current AFTN. (ECIP COM05) In the ECAC area, the
rollout of AMHS-based systems brings a number of strategic requirements:
• naming and addressing plans,
• appropriate systems management for message handling systems,
• means of incorporation of legacy (AFTN) systems via appropriate gateway technology,
e.g. the EATMP Communications Gateway,
• transition to newer network infrastructures, including the ATN, with a corresponding
reduction in the utilisation of CIDIN,
• migration of AFTN formatted messages (ADEXP etc.) and associated applications to an
AMHS base.
• Topology planning for the ECAC area.
The CEC “SPACE” identified the issues of the implementation of AMHS between a limited
number of ECAC States. In particular, a uniform AMHS addressing scheme has been
defined and included in the ICAO AMHS SARPs as the “Common AMHS Addressing
Scheme” (CAAS)
AMHS is being deployed over TCP/IP in the EUR region. Such implementations must
coexist with, and where necessary interoperate with AMHS/ATN-based applications, via
appropriate gateways for international messaging. Coexistence with legacy (AFTN and
CIDIN) technology will be necessary for the medium-to-long term – see –Figure 8.

ECAC-wide AMHS over TCP/IP
ECG AFTN / CIDIN (External)

AMHS Gateway
(External)
AFTN / CIDIN
Next Generation data distribution
2000
2005 2007 2005 2011 2010 2015 2020
Figure 8 Information Distribution Deployment

(note: External = External to ECAC)
With the increased emphasis on security in the context of the ATM2000+ strategy, a study
will be required into the implementation, management and international use of AMHS
security mechanisms in the ECAC region.
In the long term, other forms of information-sharing and data distribution, such as remote
database access, may supplant traditional store and forward messaging for aeronautical
information. These concepts are already under investigation, c.f. the SWIM project, whose
objectives are to achieve a uniform and efficient aeronautical information management
structure, within the framework of system-wide management of information, to support all
phases of flight.
A study will be needed into how information storage, sharing, distribution, synchronisation
and access is to take place beyond AMHS, and the communications implications, if any.
6.2.8.3 Other Data Services

It is envisaged that other safety-critical information types are now, or will be exchanged
between centres, between sensors and centres, and between airlines, airports, centres and
management functions. Examples include:
• Surveillance data exchange (ASTERIX)
• SSR Code distribution
• European AIS Database (EAD)
• CFMU Flow Management Information
The strategy is to provide advice and guidance to the appropriate projects, so that such data
can coexist harmoniously with other operational and safety-critical communications services.
6.2.8.4 External Services
6.2.8.4.1 Military
The military are responsible for securing and policing the State’s airspace. Military aircraft
need to react at short notice to perceived or possible threats. Operational Air Defence flights
will continue to have priority access to all airspace.

Therefore, Air Defence organisations have to be provided with all ATM information (voice
and data) relevant to their task, which requires the appropriate communications links with
ATC units and sensors.
6.2.8.4.2 Meteorological
The meteorological service contributes to the safety, efficiency and regularity of air
navigation. The data includes METARs, TAFs and SIGMETs in an alphanumeric format; and
weather-related charts in binary formats.
The alphanumeric information is distributed internationally via the AFTN, CIDIN or SADIS
(Satellite service); binary coded meteorological data includes T.4 facsimile charts in which
various parameters such as wind and temperature are presented in a grid format.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is in the process of transitioning all
meteorological data into BUFR, a new binary format which will replace the alphanumeric
formats used for messages such as METARs and TAFs. The impact of this migration on the
existing ATC infrastructure to handle meteorological data needs to be studied.
6.2.8.5 Administrative data communication services

It is envisaged that a number of administrative data communications services will be able to
take advantage of the available capacity of the Pan European Fixed Network Services. (This
implies that there will be some level of integration of ATC and administrative data on
international data network services.) E.g. CRCO.
The strategy is to provide advice and guidance to the appropriate IT service managers, so
that administrative communications can coexist harmoniously with operational and safety-
critical communications services. Web-based Intranet services will be investigated in the
future as part of the means of service delivery.
6.2.9 Means to achieve data communication services

The COM team has an overall co-ordinating role for ensuring that appropriate data
communications services are identified and included into the EATMP work programme.
The ODT and its task groups are responsible for the development of operational
requirements for integrated air/ground data communication and surveillance. The current
workplan includes the production of Required Communications Performance (RCP).
A number of EC projects (e.g. NUP and MEDUP) are establishing an extensive infrastructure
in Europe for specific ATS purposes, which could be considered for more general
communications applications.
After the various trials and pre-operational initiatives, the following projects will implement
data link services based on the ATN and VDL Mode 2, both in Europe and the United States:
• LINK 2000+ (ECAC 2005-2007);
• FAA Build 1A (2008 onwards)
• CASCADE (2008-2011and onwards).
A study is needed into the requirements for airport/ATC/AOC co-ordination (e.g. CDM)
Surveillance data (ASTERIX) distribution over IP has to be addressed – a Task Force has
been proposed in the SUR domain, and should be supported by the COM domain.

A study is needed into how existing and new data communication requirements are to be
most cost-effectively fulfilled by the various candidate data network services (store-and-
forward or point-to-point).
The EATMP Communications Gateway offers portable software components necessary to
implement a gateway between the AFTN message switching world and AMHS.
An offline management service is needed to support the introduction of AMHS, following on
from the similar service provided for AFTN management.
An AMHS test facility in conjunction with a reference system is needed in order to facilitate
the introduction of new AMHS nodes across the ECAC area.
6.3 Voice communication services
6.3.1 General
Voice communication in the aeronautical community can be broken down into the following
services:
• Controller – Pilot voice communication service providing exchange of information
between aircraft and ground facilities
• Air-to-air voice communication service providing co-ordination between aircraft
• Ground mobile voice communication service providing improvements in the handling,
management and co-ordination within the aeronautical community
• Ground-ground voice communication service providing improvements in the information
flow between ATC centres, to military centres, aircraft operators and airports, and to
national or regional organisations like CFMU.
New operational concepts like Collaborative Decision-Making will require new features such
as conferencing over different networks. The Gate-to-Gate concept will require the
concatenation of different networks.
The aim of the strategy is seamless voice communication encompassing
• new (COTS-based and hence more cost-effective) technologies
• new functions/features to optimise voice communications
• functions and features in support of new operational concepts
Voice communication services for aeronautical use are being specified and implemented in
accordance with ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices. In some respects,
implementation is considered a regional matter by ICAO. However due to its implications
global standardisation should be sought. Only such an approach will facilitate the
acceptance by the use community, create economics of scale and provide a seamless
operation.
The voice communication service described may consist of individual call, group calls or
broadcast calls. The strategy will include functions and features over concatenated networks
and operational requirements set for radio calls, intercom and telephone calls
Administrative calls in general or for ATM will be accommodated. Particular emphasis is
required for the seamless operation of voice services between the ground fixed network and
the mobile network; both described later in this document.
(See also End to end voice communication in section 6.6 for an assessment of system-wide
issues associated with voice communications services.)

6.3.2 Air-ground voice communication services
6.3.2.1 Controller-Pilot communications

Instantaneous voice communications between pilots and controllers is central to ATC
strategy for the short and medium term. However the strategy is to reduce the voice
communication workload for the cockpit and controller. This measure will increase safety
because human errors by misinterpretation of voice message are reduced.
The key requirement is for controllers and pilots to have (virtually) immediate access to a
voice communications channel when needed for the communication of safety-critical
messages between them. Today this is achieved primarily by VHF radio between controllers
and pilots by use of routine pre-determined channels, which are continually monitored in the
air, and by ground stations. There are, however, problems of congestion and the availability
of channels in the VHF band.
With traffic growth, there will be a need to move to more effective use of existing
communications paths, and possible use of other communications paths. At the same time,
the increased use of datalink services may act to reduce the growth of voice communications
requirements. It is assumed that the anticipated increase in air traffic will mean that on
balance voice traffic will not diminish.
At the moment no statement can be made on how far new services like datalink will effect
the requirements for voice communication. The balance and impact of datalinks needs to be
analysed to determine the future voice service requirements. Dialogue management is
required to ensure that voice and data communication are synchronised. 3
6.3.2.2 Voice Information Services

A number of ground-to-air information services are provided today using voice broadcasts
(ATIS, MET). With the introduction of digital flight information services (FIS) such as D-ATIS,
the requirements for voice broadcasts will diminish. The introduction of new air-ground voice
network services, which do not include a broadcast capability, will also create a pressure to
discontinue these services.
6.3.3 Air-air voice communication

Air-air voice communication is already in use on operational VHF frequencies for co-
ordination. In the ECAC area air-to-air co-ordination is used to a lesser extent, its main
purpose is relaying messages. The future concept associated with air-to-air voice
communication is not mature, but it is likely to have global implications. The cooperative
ATS concept will provide the operational focus for defining the air-to-air voice requirements.
6.3.4 Ground mobile voice communication

The incorporation of the gate-to-gate concept into the ECAC mandate to the Agency has led
to the need to extend the work into the ground mobile environment implemented at airports
and with aircraft operators.
3
It has been identified as an operational safety issue that any given data and voice dialogue pair must at
all times be between the same two communicating parties. So if a controller hands off an aircraft to
another controller (on a different frequency) at the same centre, the datalink connection must switch to
the new controller at the same instant as the frequency change takes place. Note that the same
synchronisation requirements also exist between centres, however inter-centre handover is synchronised
through operational procedures using mechanisms already defined in SARPs.

In addition operational ATM users require more and more the implementation of wireless end
terminals for their services. Again it is important to recognise the requirements for end-to-
end performance within the corporate network with added mobile networks.
It will be necessary to:
• identify the user requirements for ground mobile voice communication services during
the following flight phases: Tactical Planning Phase, Pre-Departure Phase, Departure-
Taxi Phase, Departure Phase, Arrival Phase, Arrival-Taxi Phase, Post Flight Phase.
• identify the key technologies that will deliver ground/mobile voice services
• define how ground mobile voice communications will be integrated into the overall
communications architecture.
6.3.5 Ground-ground voice communication services
6.3.5.1 ATS Voice communication

Today controller workstations and ATS telephony services use the voice fixed network
services described in 6.4.3.
In addition to the existing operational ATS infrastructure new concepts like gate-to-gate or
Collaborative Decision Making will increase the user base and will necessitate inter-working
with other existing or future networks, and resolution of the routing and numbering issues.
Access and charging mechanism have to be studied and may be implemented, as in the
future transit traffic (both voice and data) may be carried. In addition, Users (Aircraft, ground
installations at Airports) will wish to access the network and will therefore require to be
authenticated. Finally, ANSPs may wish to charge or recover costs for using the network.
The current signalling protocols provide only call related services and would therefore need
to be extended to include security services and charging.
As a first step to implement new digital interfaces, the ECMA Standard 312: Profile Standard
for the use of PSS1 in Air Traffic Services Network (ATS QSIG) is being used.
6.3.5.2 Administrative voice communication services

Administrative and operational voice traffic already use common resources in some states.
There is an ongoing need to assess whether there are benefits in using shared resources for
international operational and administrative voice communications.
6.3.6 Means to achieve voice communication services

With the extension of the scope to pre-flight and post-flight operation within the gate-to-gate
concept seamless voice communication over different corporate networks will be required.
End-to-end performance studies on signalling and speech quality will be required.
Collaborative Decision-Making will require new functions such as multi-network
conferencing. The feasibility and technical implications should be studied and subsequently
be standardised.

6.4 Pan European Fixed Network Service (PENS)
6.4.1 General
The Pan-European Fixed Network Service, (PENS) provides the international ground
telecommunications infrastructure for voice and data, including network systems
management, end-to-end voice and data integrity, switching and routing, multiplexing and
message handling. PENS can also support the interconnection of other external networks to
support national requirements or identified international requirements, e.g. CDM.
PENS is considered in this section in terms of:
• The data and voice network services, which provide communications paths within and
external to the ANSP community, with appropriate Quality of Service,
• The switching fabric, which provides the bandwidth to support the network services
(some of these switching technologies (e.g. Frame Relay) provide a network service in
their own right, others (e.g. Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Multi-Protocol Label
Switching) are used as enablers for future more feature-rich network services).
• The bearers appropriate to the provision of the circuit level connectivity between fixed
locations.
The strategy is to decouple the decisions on network services to be offered from those
relating to the technologies and provisioning of the switching fabric and bearers. However
the activities of network design and definition of the management processes for the network
services, bearers and switching fabric must be consolidated in order to provide the optimal
solution.
The functional, service and performance requirements for PENS elements, together with the
definitions of viable and useful profiles (combinations of technology and functionality) need to
be agreed and widely published in order that ANSPs and telecommunications service
providers can procure and provide appropriate components and services to meet the
required end-to-end levels of service.
6.4.2 Data Network services
The Pan European Fixed Network Service provides the data network services listed below.
6.4.2.1 Connection-oriented network service (CONS)

The legacy CONS service has been based on packet switched connection-oriented (X.25)
protocol services. It has been the default ground network service for cross-border
interconnections of national and regional ANSP data communications networks. This
network service supported international applications such as On-Line Data Interchange
(OLDI), CIDIN, and the distribution of surveillance data, meteorological data or administrative
data (e.g. CRCO).
X.25 technology is reaching the end of its commercial life, and commercial network service
provision today is predominantly connectionless IP. It is therefore imperative that any
applications which have a dependency on X.25 be migrated to connectionless IP by 2009.
6.4.2.2 Connectionless network service (Internet Protocol)

The strategic goal is to provide an ECAC-wide high QoS Internet Protocol (IP) service over
appropriate switching fabric (see 6.4.4) to take advantage of mass-market availability and the
low cost of ownership of IP products. Indeed the vast majority of COTS networking products

and end-systems embody the Internet Protocol (IP) which provides connectionless
transmission.
Most ANSPs already use the IP connectionless network protocol for their national purposes.
In some instances, IP is already used for safety and time critical applications such as the
distribution of radar surveillance data. By selection and management of the underlying
bearers, a high QoS can be achieved, suitable for ATC purposes and potentially for carrying
voice services over IP.
Today however, the current international data exchange is based on X.25 network services,
which are increasingly costly to maintain, and the industrial availability of X.25 products is
rapidly declining. It is foreseen to build an ECAC-wide IP network service deployment as an
outcome of the integration of existing ANSP ground data IP networks.
The essential component of the ground communications strategy is therefore, the planning
and co-ordination of migration of international X.25 to IP which involves the deployment of:
• an ECAC wide IP (version independent) network service meeting the requirements of
PENS
• the migration of existing X.25 based applications and systems to IP (OLDI, Surveillance
data distribution, meteorological data).
6.4.3 Voice fixed network services
The Pan European Network Service provides the following voice network services, in the
timescale shown in Figure 9. These network services are used to deliver the ground-based
end-to-end voice communication services discussed in 6.3.5.
International Voice over IP

National Voice Over IP
ATS QSIG based Voice Network
Analogue Voice Network (External)
2007 2011 2015 2020
Figure 9 Voice network service time-table
6.4.3.1 MFC/R2
Analogue voice networks based on MFC/R2 are widely deployed in the ANSP community.
These will continue to be operated in the short term, with a gradual phasing out in
accordance with technology evolution in the public telecomms service in the short and
medium term. The “sunset date” for these analogue voice networks is around 2012.

6.4.3.2 ATS-QSIG Voice Services

The short term strategy is that most states should complete the move from legacy analogue
systems to a QSIG based digital voice infrastructure which provides the technical base for
the improved end-to-end voice services, in accordance with ECIP objectives. The QSIG and
PNNI digital signalling standards are the basis for interconnecting private voice
communications systems.
6.4.3.3 Voice over IP

In view of the anticipated widespread commercial adoption of Internet technology, it is
envisaged that these protocol sets will be the basis for voice over Asynchronous Transfer
Mode, and future switching fabric and bearers, for the ANSP community. Adoption of IP as
the common enabler for future fixed and mobile network services will allow for the
introduction of voice over IP, based on IETF SIP, as a more cost advantageous goal for
seamless voice services over multiple concatenated sub-network technologies. These
protocol sets are also enablers for multi-media communications services such as
videoconferencing.
6.4.4 Switching Fabric
The switching fabric adds value to the bearer service through the inclusion of capabilities
such as flow control, error detection and correction, and signalling. Switching technology
includes PDH/SDH/TDM,Frame Relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, MPLS and emerging
technologies, as well as the legacy X.25 and CIDIN circuits. ISDN provides both a voice and
data circuit switched solution. The choice of switching technologies may be a national,
bilateral or multi-lateral matter, based on bandwidths, costs and availability. X.25 technology
is reaching its end of life, and any remaining X.25 paths should transition to newer technology
as soon as possible and not later than 2009.
CIDIN + Pt. to Pt. Over X.25 (External only)
Frame Relay
PDH/SDH/TDM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode, MPLS Possible new Technologies,
2007 2011 2015 2020
Figure 10 Timescales for the switching fabric

A Frame Relay service and Asynchronous Transfer Mode service (offering a range of media-
dependent services) is now in place in some parts of Europe. . These services will
supplement and eventually replace the X.25 based service and provide both connection-less
and connection-oriented services.
The switching fabric is expected to provide a range of cost-effective switching technologies
suitable for the digital information types identified above, with appropriate qualities of service

for intermittent (bursty) or continuous traffic at different rates, with different levels of
resilience and recovery.
The technology trend is towards integrated network service provision, from network service
providers, and subject to Service Level Agreements. The Integrated Network Services will
provide a number of interface types for different service user requirements:
• IP over various technologies (between data applications)
• E1 (or higher) bandwidth provision (between TDMs, e.g. for Qsig-based voice, legacy
analogue voice )
• Legacy point-to-point data
6.4.5 Bearer Circuits

Bearer Circuits offer the most basic telecommunications capability at the circuit level, but
excluding any switching or error detection and correction capabilities. Bearer circuit
technology includes terrestrial circuits (copper and fibre), ground-to-ground radio circuits
(microwave), generic ground-to-ground Time Division Multiplexed circuits and satellite
communications paths (including the use of VSAT end stations where this is cost effective or
alternative terrestrial circuits are unavailable)
In the past, ANSPs have leased international bearer capability for interconnection purposes.
In the future, bearer services are expected to be invisibly managed by the Switching Fabric
Service Provider.
6.4.6 Management of the PENS

An important element of the PENS strategy is the convergence of the currently disparate
network and system management technologies to a distributed, “single image” systems
management solution (see 6.6.7, Systems Management, Directory Service and Security)
There will be convergence of the CONS and IP management in the short term, in conjunction
with end-to-end management of international circuits, and management of the ANSP network
integration. Management of the ATN Internet service will then be phased in over the medium
term. The management of the underlying switching fabric and bearer circuits will be
addressed to the extent appropriate to the selected solutions.
6.4.7 Means to achieve the PENS

The PENS network architecture will be developed to provide a topology-independent IP
network service that encompasses existing IPv4 national network deployments. The network
architecture envisaged involves the use of IPv6 in order to build an international IP network
service. The technical options to realise PENS, within an IP context need to be investigated.
Robust institutional arrangements must be put in place between PENS implementers and
existing network operators in order to achieve the envisaged service.
Realisation of the PENS will be achieved in the short term, through the federation of existing
or evolving ANSP networks that provide common interfaces and service levels where this is
feasible and cost-effective. A coordinated programme for PENS provision and ATM system
migration in Europe has been initiated. This involves: establishment of a Steering Group,
supported by EUROCONTROL, and the selection and award of a contract to a network
management organisation.
To support and encourage the need to migrate legacy X.25 network services and
applications to the IP network service, two ECIP objectives have been defined:
• COM04 (OLDI FDE ICD over TCP/IP)

• COM09 (X.25 to IP network migration)

For new applications and services, such as AMHS or existing operational system upgrades,
this communications strategy recommends the use of the IP Internet protocol. Furthermore,
these new applications or services should be designed independently of the version of IP
(e.g. version 4 or 6).
Implementation, by bi-lateral agreement, of inter-ANSP digital links using ATS-QSIG in
preference to existing analogue systems, (ECIP COM06).
A study into the feasibility, technical implications, interoperability with legacy (analogue
and/or QSIG-based) voice networks, quality of service and cost-effectiveness of the
introduction of Voice over IP is needed.
The choice of international bearer will be made on a case-by-case basis, based on required
performance, costs and availability.
6.5 Mobile Network Services (MNS)
6.5.1 General
The Mobile Network Service, (MNS) provides the communications links between mobiles
(aircraft or vehicles) and ground elements and also between mobiles, for voice and data over
wireless links, and including network systems management.
The mobile network services are described in terms of:
• The method of access to the spectrum
• The service delivered (Point to point, broadcast, functions, QoS)
and their position in the overall system architecture.
Implementation of the mobile network services is further conditioned by:
• the band of spectrum where they operate
• the availability and appropriate allocation of frequencies
and the geographic area (as this may restrict coverage).
Most ANSPs provide UHF for communication with military aircraft that are not equipped with
VHF or 8.33kHz radios (on a National basis).
The military aim to achieve compatibility with civil mobile network services, based on a “New
Technology” (see 6.5.3).
6.5.2 VHF Frequency Management

VHF spectrum is the basis for the implementation of existing and new air/ground
communications (Voice and Data). However the spectrum is of limited capacity, and
therefore effective management is essential.
As a short-term action, in order to manage in an efficient way the VHF Frequencies, States
should make all practical efforts for an efficient use of the VHF frequency band and for the
provision of adequate resources. ICAO and EUROCONTROL will assist the States in these
processes.

ICAO, EUROCONTROL and States must also critically review and improve the quality as
well as the management of a central and reliable Frequency database as a prerequisite for
concrete improvements of Frequency Management.
By involving the necessary and required staff resources, States have to implement more
stringent and efficient measures for better Frequency Management practices at national
level, notably by:
• Having regular Audit of existing Frequency usage to limit unused, underused, misused
or overprotected frequencies;
• Assessing and prioritising new/changed frequency requests prior allocation taking into
account:
• National/European Strategies/projects relying on VHF resource,
• Already assigned VHF resources in concerned and adjacent/surrounding Units,
• Committing to the timely and effective implementation of the allocated frequencies;
ICAO, EUROCONTROL and states have to make all practical efforts to secure the required
spectrum for VDL deployment, especially:
• States should avoid assigning and should remove non-VDL services out of the band
136.700 to 136.975 MHz, in order not to jeopardise the introduction of VDL;
• States, in co-ordination with EUROCONTROL, on behalf of IATA should re-allocate the
OPC services currently operating in the 136.800-136.875 bands (inclusive), and reserve
these frequencies for VDL deployment as recommended by EANPG FMG.
These short-term measures are likely to release spectrum, but it will not be in sufficient
proportion in order to cope with the frequency demands (due to normal traffic increase or to
specific project implementation (e.g. RVSM, VDL)) at that moment. Therefore a continuous
assessment of the spectrum capacity and congestion taking into account the effect of new
spectrum management methods need to be implemented. Pertinent technical, administrative
and political/institutional measures to complement these on-going short-term actions (already
initiated) need also to be identified and implemented.
The Eurocontrol ACG had identified the need to plan the expansion of 8.33 kHz airspace to
include all controlled airspace in the foreseeable future. On present indications this action
was not expected to meet capacity demands beyond 2016. This would mean that, unless a
new technology, or other suitable solutions were identified and agreed to by 2009, all the
remaining VHF voice communication requirements in Europe would most likely need to be
converted to 8.33 kHz by 2016.
6.5.3 “New technology” mobile communications links

Current estimates show that despite the mitigation provided by the implementation of
8.33kHhz and VDL2, the existing spectrum will become saturated in the medium term.
This estimate does not take into account any further expansion of AOC traffic. In the same
time frame, some of the key capacity improvements identified in the EUROCONTROL ATM
strategy for the years 2000+ require a higher quality of service than provided by VDL Mode
2.
New technology links may be required to support these future data services. These
technologies are expected to be capable of providing integrated voice and data over the
same communication channel, however, the business and technical analysis has yet to
demonstrate how and where benefits could be achieved. The safety cases of voice and data
over the same link will require to be studied with particular reference to failure modes and

consequences. Further benefits exist in the possibility to combine new technology for
communications, navigation and surveillance purposes.
The new technology may need to take into account the bandwidth requirements for future
proposed security applications, which include downlink of video information.
Additional sectors above FL 245 (HEX)

8.33 KHz DSB
Voice Services Extension below FL 245 to FL195 (VEX)
Designated Control Areas (VEX)
25 kHz DSB AM
New Voice System
1090 Extended Squitter for surveillance

Surveillance
VDL 4 for surveillance (ADS-B, TIS-B)
Data Services
New Data System
ATN/VDL2
DCL ATIS/AOA/VDL2
DCL ATIS/ACARS
2007 2011 2015 2020
Figure 11 Mobile Network Services deployment
6.5.4 Data mobile services
6.5.4.1 General environment

There are several technological competitors for air-ground (and mobile) data
communications links. Cost/benefits analysis, experimental work and pre-operational trials
are being, or will be carried out with a view to focusing on preferred technologies for
deployment in the ECAC area. Systems currently in operation include:
• The ACARS-based technology, which has only a limited capacity and is not suited to
safety-critical communications,
• VHF data link (VDL) Mode 2, which will be used for the initial data links for AOC,
ATS/AOA (ACARS over AVLC) and ATS/ATN communications.
• HF datalink, used in oceanic and/or low traffic density airspace, also in polar regions
where satellite coverage is poor,
• Mode-S datalink over secondary surveillance radar
• Satellite AMSS (for surveillance)
• High bandwidth passenger communications services for mobile telephony and Internet
access.
Systems standardised, being standardised or evaluated, include:
• UAT

• VDL Mode3 and VDL Mode4,

• 1090 Extended Squitter
• Next Generation Satellite systems
• Next Generation Terrestrial System based on wideband CDMA technology
• Commercial satellite technology as used for passenger communications
The relative costs (investment and operation) and performance, including spectrum
efficiency, of the various technologies need to be analysed and matched against required
communications performance of the operational applications. Potential synergy benefits
(VDL4 may be used for surveillance) also have to be considered. Because of the high cost
of communications avionics assets on board an aircraft, this is an area where the benefits of
sharing communications capabilities, between ATS, AOC, AAC and APC have to be taken
into account.
Support of the “Gate-to-gate” concept means that the communication requirements between
an aircraft on the ground and other entities within the aeronautical community have to be
addressed.
6.5.4.2 Phased introduction of mobile data services

The timescale for the data mobile network services deployment is illustrated in Figure 11.
AOC and ATS ARINC 623-based applications (DCL, and ATIS) are supported by ACARS.
The use of these ACARS services is recommended to be limited to the aircraft not already
equipped with VDL Mode 2 capabilities and the airspace users are recommended not to
invest any more in ACARS due to its capacity limitation.
To preserve as much as possible the VHF spectrum it is recommended to avoid the
introduction of new ACARS frequencies. To overcome the ACARS capacity limitation,
aircraft already equipped with VDL Mode 2 capabilities are encouraged to use AOA/VDL
Mode 2 services to support AOC and ATS applications (DCL, and ATIS ARINC 623 based).
Note: The ACARS and AOA/VDL Mode 2 services are not ATN compliant. They are thus
considered as interim steps only before the use of ATN/VDL Mode 2
ATN/VDL Mode 2 will be operated to support the ATS Link 2000+ applications by 2005. At
that stage, ACARS would be limited to aircraft non-equipped with VDL Mode 2 and AOA
would be limited to aircraft non-equipped with ATN/VDL Mode 2 capabilities for ATS
applications.
Note: It is envisaged that VDL Mode 2 will remain in service to at least 2020.
To cover surveillance applications (e. g. ADS-B), 1090 Extended Squitter services will be
operating in some ECAC states in the medium term. 1090 Extended Squitter will be
complemented as necessary by VDL Mode 4 pending on clarification of remaining
implementation issues (Airborne architecture, definition of the frequency implementation
elements and spectrum availability). VDL Mode 4 may also provide a solution for time critical
data link applications.
The Future Communications Study being undertaken under the FAA/EUROCONTROL
AP/17 is setting parameters for a Future Radio System which is suitable for high
performance data communications and hopefully near-real-time digital voice
communications. The selected systems are expected to take over a growing part of the
traffic supported previously by VDL Mode 2. Decision on a new system technology is
expected around 2006-7.

6.5.5 Phased introduction of voice mobile services

The timescale for the voice mobile network services deployment is illustrated in Figure 11.
The 25 kHz DSB-AM system will still be required and used for aeronautical voice
communication in the ECAC region.
The mixed 25/8.33 kHz DSB-AM environment is applicable in most of the ECAC States
above FL 245. (ECIP COM01, COM02)
To address VHF congestion, the carriage and operation of 8.33 kHz channel spacing
capable radio communication equipment became mandatory in the ICAO EUR Region on the
7th October 1999 for aircraft operating above FL245. The Horizontal Expansion from 7 to 26
States took place on the 31st October 2002, with additional adjacent States planning to
enforce mandatory carriage in the short term. It is important that every measure possible be
taken, to maximise the number of 25 kHz channels converted to 8.33 kHz channel spacing in
all existing and planned 8.33 kHz airspace.
Following the ICAO EANPG 44 decision in December 2002, a Vertical Expansion of 8.33
kHz will take place below FL245 (COM03).
This can be summarised in the three following phases:
• above FL195 in the ICAO EUR Region from 2006,
• as required in particular terminal control areas (TMA)s and control zones (CTR)s,
• in Designated Controlled Airspace in the ICAO EUR Region from 2009 onwards.
It is important to note that all practical measures should be taken to minimise the impact on
General Aviation VFR and all State Aircraft. Also, States have the right to grant exemptions
for aircraft and/or airspace volumes (as per initial implementations).
All airspace users are urged to prepare for the phased implementation of expanded 8.33 kHz
airspace and the consequent need for any new VHF communications equipage to be 8.33
kHz compatible. Individual groups, such as gliders, hot air balloons, etc, are encouraged on
a voluntary basis to convert to 8.33 kHz as a group, for their own use and wherever this is
feasible, ahead of any general expansion of 8.33 kHz airspace. Whilst Operational Control
(OPC) users are to be made aware of the critical importance of them converting 25 kHz
channels to 8.33 kHz.
To solve foreseen VHF spectrum shortcoming (around 2016), pending the feasibility analysis
(efficiency results, operational concept and requirements, cost benefit, service provision
organisation) Next Generation Satellite Systems and/or Terrestrial Wideband systems will be
deployed to complement 25/8.33 kHz systems. Decision is expected around 2006-7, based
on the outcome of the joint FAA/EUROCONTROL AP/17 studies. Of particular concern is
the “latency” introduced into voice communications when moving to a packet-oriented digital
technology.
Should no new technology, or other suitable solutions that meet the demand of VHF
capacity, be identified and agreed by 2009, then 8.33 kHz channelling may be needed for all
VHF voice communications requirements in Europe by 2016.
6.5.6 Means to achieve the MNS

The following actions are envisaged:
• ATN/VDL2 is being deployed in the context of the Link2000+ programme; the Agency
communication domain is addressing the VDL Mode2 implementation issues and
validating its performance.

• VDL2 provision may be via service providers (SITA, ARINC etc.) or by ANSPs
themselves. In the longer term, up to 4 channels may be required for ATS purposes.
• Continue the feasibility analysis, to define the baseline for the next generation mobile
communication systems, to support ATM voice and data services, taking into account
safety, cost benefit, technical and transitional considerations.
• Proactive role in the definition of flexible airborne architecture easing the migration step
for new technologies (Software radio, “agile” antennas)
• Study into the possible use of commercial communications services as in use for
passenger communications
• Promote the necessary steps to ensure that the selected next generation mobile
communication systems are also compliant with the outstanding requirement for civil-
military systems interoperability
6.6 System-wide issues
6.6.1 Introduction to system-wide considerations

System-wide issues are those aspects of the COM strategy that influence or constrain
multiple components (as described above). These include:
• The use of COTS products
• Safety Management
• Radio Spectrum Resources
• The ATN
• End to end voice communication
• Systems management, Directory Service and Security
• Systems Engineering
6.6.2 The use of COTS products

The industry trends for Information Technology (IT) architecture are towards reduced
development costs through reuse of commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS), modularity,
achieved increasingly through object-oriented technology, portability and scalability of
solutions.
The strategy is to ensure that communications specifications are developed with the total
cost of ownership a key concern. This means that any departure from COTS products must
be cost-justified in terms of functionality, performance, safety or other specific requirement.
However, COTS products are not developed and maintained primarily for aviation, therefore
backward compatibility and impact on future maintenance have to be considered when
implementing and updating COTS products.
The ATM community should be able to take advantage of the financial and technical
momentum that exists in the mass market which is deploying very large and extensive fixed
and mobile communications networks based on commercial of the shelf (COTS) products.
However, the relatively short life cycle of COTS products also has to be considered. The
ATM community needs to encourage the use of the principles set down in ED109 when
incorporating COTS software into ATM ground systems.

Commercial Networks and products are designed for the “mass market” without specific
regard for the requirements of ATM because it is a “niche market”, the performance and
reliability of such networks and products must be taken into account when carrying out the
safety assessment of a proposed operational ATM system.
ATM application data in transit over commercial networks will be mixed with many other
types of data. For example Aircraft will use the same media for ATM communications, Airline
Operation Communications and Airline Passenger communications with the latter probably
being the Airline’s commercial driver for equipage. Co-existence of many different traffic
types on the network will happen, but safety and regularity of flight must be guaranteed.
The new technology must co-exist with legacy systems and first generation ATM air-ground
datalink technologies such as ATN and VDL Mode 2. To benefit from the use of COTS
products and services, there needs to be an activity targeted at the selection, validation and
adaptation, where necessary, of “mass market” communications technology whilst ensuring
that the “multi-modal” use of such technology is possible and meets ATM requirements.
6.6.3 Safety Management

Experience with the early deployment of datalink technology has highlighted the critical
importance of taking an overall systems-wide view in the planning stages of the levels of
safety that will be achievable by the introduction of new technology into ATS voice and data
communications. New communications services can only be introduced taking into account
the appropriate safety regulatory baseline, and applying appropriate safety assessment
methodologies or guidelines in order to identify and mitigate all safety risks.
A hazard analysis and risk mitigation plan has to be drawn up, which addresses, but is not
limited to:
• The operational concepts and procedures which are intended to make use of the
communication services,
• Inherent characteristics of the communications service technology (intelligibility, residual
error rates, transit time, throughput delays etc),
• Uncertainties introduced by the implementation process (residual software bugs,
hardware failure modes, confidence levels in “correct” operation),
• Human factors, particularly addressing the likelihood of mis-input (sender enters the
wrong information), and of misinterpretation (by the recipient) of information to be
communicated,
• Level of integration with other automation (avionics or ground-based) and the scope for
information corruption between automation components and communication
components, or between human users of the communications service and other
automation components,
Such an analysis has to consider cost implications, notably
• The costs/benefits of alternative hazard mitigation approaches, including non-technical
(procedural) mechanisms, alternative technological means (e.g. surveillance), and
enhancements to the communications service itself,
• The cost/benefit trade-off between proposed operational improvements and
consequential technical changes with respect to the overall economics of ATM.
One of the major factors constraining the operational deployment of new ATS
communications services is the protracted timescale for the necessary hazard analysis,
safety assessments and certification. The process needs to be reassessed in order to arrive
at more speedy operational deployment. Significant improvements can be achieved if safety
assessments are conducted in parallel with the technical development, based on assumed

technical characteristics, rather than at the end of the technical development and validation
phases.
6.6.4 Radio Spectrum Resources

The ICAO CNS-ATM strategy requires for each of its constituting elements (Communication,
Navigation and Surveillance), sufficient and sufficiently protected radio spectrum. Increasing
commercial pressure from telecommunication service providers on spectrum allocation in
ITU and CEPT fora necessitates a strong defence of existing aeronautical allocations and a
co-ordinated effort to ensure spectrum availability for future aeronautical applications.
Radio frequencies are a scarce resource with important economic value for others sectors
such as telecommunications. The availability and management of frequency radio bands are
strategic matters for the implementation of the EUROCONTROL ATM strategy for the years
2000+.
As a result of the MATSE6 meeting (January 2000), the Agency in close co-operation with
ICAO has established new mechanisms for spectrum protection and frequency management
processes controlled by the high level Spectrum and Frequency Consultation Group (SFCG).
The communication components which are under threat are the VHF transmissions (voice
and data, including the 8.33 kHz spacing), the HF transmissions, the satellite transmissions
as well as the new technologies under consideration (radio network, wideband, ...).
The strategy for defending the aeronautical interests is to define an Aeronautical European
Common Position and to promote it in the radio regulation and standardisation fora. The
strategy recognises the crucial role of the national aeronautical organisations and other
European organisations in the European process (CEPT, ...) and relies on ICAO and
regional aeronautical organisations to defend aviation interests in world-wide fora, such as
ITU.
Furthermore the potential interference that communication systems outside the aeronautical
bands could generate to aviation communication systems needs to be carefully investigated
as the introduction of new radio-communication systems continues to grow.
6.6.5 The ATN
6.6.5.1 ATN general

The ATN has been specified in international standards (ICAO SARPs). Those standards are
mature having been validated through extensive prototyping and pre-operational trials
programmes and the ATN is now being implemented for air/ground services providing safe
and cost-effective data communications to meet the operational needs of the aeronautical
community. The initial phase of the deployment consists of implementing ATN Internet
service in support of the Link2000+ programme. The service will employ ATN air-ground
routers interconnected using PENS IP bandwidth provision and Mobile Network technology
as appropriate.
The ATN Internet service will be the communications platform for the air-ground data
communications services deployed for LINK2000+ from 2005 onwards.
Studies are required into the possible future use of IP as the internetwork solution for air-
ground communications, followed by standardisation work in ICAO.
6.6.5.2 ATN internet Service

The ATN internet service has been specified to deliver network services which have been
identified as necessary to meet the data communications service requirements for air

navigation applications that conform to the ICAO ATN SARPs. These requirements include
specific characteristics such as policy based routing and mobile end systems. ATN Air-
Ground end-to-end services will be carried over the PENS IP-based ground networks, using
an appropriate SNDCF or tunnelling technology.
6.6.5.3 Coexistence of ATC and AOC data communications services

One of the purposes of the ATN is to provide for the co-existence of ATC and AOC datalink
services. This is achieved by traffic typing in the lower layers (to allow differentiation
between ATC and AOC traffic), and the provision of Generic ATN Communications Service
(GACS) as a general-purpose data service.
ATS AOC
APC ATN
X
m APC
y stsetemd/ / only)ly)
SSy annd ATSTS on
eeww ideebba(AOCO-C-A
NN id e (A
WW litite Airline
l
teell
SSaat
ATC centre
X IP
IP ATS
ATN
Figure 12 Coexistence of Safety-critical and Non-safety-critical communications

Enhancements to the ATN Internet service will allow that ATN traffic can be forwarded over
ground IP networks. In ATN technical terms, this means that the IP network is used as a
ground-ground ATN subnetwork via an appropriate SNDCF. It is also envisaged that
mechanisms will be developed to allow for the sharing of air-ground communication path
between safety-critical and non-safety-critical communications, see Figure 12.
6.6.6 End to end voice communication

There are system issues relating to voice coding and signalling compatibility between digital
radio links and digital ground systems that need to be resolved. Figure 13 illustrates the
scenario.

Mobile Network
Service
Mobile network
Service
Non-PENS
Terrestrial Network
(PENS)
Ground
Station
ATC Centre
Figure 13 Possible Scenarios for end-to-end voice connections

Transiting networks raises issues of voice quality degradation if coding systems differ from
network to network. Ideally, to preserve the highest signal quality there should be a single
digital encoding standard from end to end (controller work position to aircraft), with no
requirement for intermediate encoding conversions, and which can lead to improved
utilisation of spectrum.
A study is required initially to determine the quantifiable requirements, in terms of parameters
such as speed of call set-up, number of calls, duration of individual voice messages,
longevity of “connections”, end-to-end transit delay, intelligibility of communication (means of
assessment for this need to be defined), security, resilience and operational human factors.
This study will need to identify metrics for the Quality of Service which is achieved using
today’s radio systems, so that any new system can be objectively compared with the current
system. The study needs to include a Safety Assessment and hazard analysis to consider
potential failure modes and their consequences, with possible mitigation approaches. It will
need to describe the requirements in terms of:-
• Naming and addressing conventions
• QoS
• voice quality
• Signalling conventions and interfaces
• Security requirements (authentication and/or encryption)
• Billing or cost sharing, which are becoming increasingly important to the ANSP
community.
Standards will need to be adopted to ensure consistency and global interoperability.

There is a relationship between the ATS voice services and the voice paths used for APC,
which needs to be studied. In addition there are technical issues and institutional issues
related to service provision through third party services that will require resolution.
6.6.7 Systems Management, Directory Service and Security
6.6.7.1 Introduction
Systems Management is needed to provide deterministic and controllable behaviour in
support of required service levels as bearers, networks and services evolve from simple
point-to-point connections towards increasingly complex inter-networks used for digital voice
and application-to-application data services.
The systems management strategy is to specify, validate and deploy mechanisms to
monitor, control and co-ordinate communications resources with the goal of achieving a
seamless communications service in support of air traffic operations. These technical
mechanisms should enable flexibility of the organisational aspects of managing services,
allowing for centralised, federated or distributed organisational approaches.
To achieve this it will be necessary to evolve from the fragmented and disparate
management systems which are in place today, to a harmonised, distributed, “single image”
systems management solution, which can then be deployed appropriately to meet the
organisational management strategy.
A directory service provides a repository for user-oriented information about communications
resources (nodes, circuits, users etc.), including name-to-address mapping, number lookup
and searching facilities. The scope and role of a directory service in the context of ATM
communications is still to be determined.
With the increasing risks of cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism, security is an increasingly
important overlay to any safety critical communications service. Standards have been
developed in ATNP to protect aeronautical dataflows from unauthorised interference, both for
air-ground communications and for ground-ground communications, including AMHS.
However, to deploy these secure communications requires international co-operation on
aspects such as cryptographic key distribution and management, establishment and
recognition of certificate authorities, and monitoring, reporting and tracking down security
attacks.
The security strategy is to ensure that the specified and standardised mechanisms are
validated and introduced in a co-ordinated fashion across the ECAC region, to protect
information flows using the ground-ground or air-ground communications infrastructure from
unauthorised and /or malicious interference. The development of an ECAC-wide Security
Policy, including cryptographic key distribution and management, institutional and regulatory
issues, will be co-ordinated through the appropriate national and regional bodies.
The increasing interoperability of civil and military systems and the use of shared information
raises, in some cases, institutional and systems architecture issues to ensure protection of
classified/sensitive military data within the future ATM system.
6.6.7.2 Systems Management Requirements

The service levels that will be required of the Pan European Fixed Network Service, and the
Mobile Network Service, to meet the needs of safety-critical applications can only be
achieved through the use of appropriate systems management and security mechanisms.
Appropriate systems management will be achieved on a distributed basis, with national or
regional management centres responsible for specific geographic areas, and central
management of the common international PENS infrastructure. End-to-end performance
management needs to be developed.

These requirements, together with the roles and responsibilities, will be refined through
analysis and studies.
6.6.7.3 Security
Security mechanisms need to be provided in the aeronautical communications networks in
order to ensure:
• Safety – New technologies must incorporate such countermeasures as are necessary to
ensure that the hazard level contributed by attacks through the aeronautical
communications system is less than that contributed by attacks through the current
communications services.
• Flight regularity – New technologies must incorporate countermeasures as necessary to
ensure that the delays and/or diversions and/or cancellations to flights arising from
attacks against the aeronautical communications system are no greater than those
contributed by attacks on the current communications services.
• Protection of business information – New technologies must incorporate such
countermeasures as are necessary to prevent (to a high degree of probability)
proprietary or business-sensitive information from being disclosed or made available to,
or accessed by, unauthorised third parties through aeronautical communications system.
In generic terms, the issues which need to be addressed are the Confidentiality, Integrity and
Availability of information exchanges. To achieve these objectives, the security mechanisms
and procedures need to address:
1. Denial of service by jamming or otherwise interfering with the communications link
(attack on availability)
2. Masquerade or spoofing, to inject bogus information or messages (attack on integrity),
or to attempt to access information (attack on confidentiality)
3. Alteration of message content (attack on integrity)
4. Replay of message (attack on integrity)
5. Interception (passive monitoring) of communications (attack on confidentiality)
For air-ground communications, mechanisms have already been defined in the ATN Manual
Edition 3 for creating secure communications services, however international policies have to
be defined, and an institutional framework put in place before implementation is possible.
6.6.8 Systems Engineering
6.6.8.1 Introduction
The increasing sophistication of applications and changes in the technology used to deliver
services require that communications, whether for air or ground, or providing voice or data
services, should no longer be planned as independent components. The systems
engineering activity is the vehicle for the consolidation of the different requirements and
supporting services.
Systems Engineering has a key role to play in identifying synergies between domains in
terms of benefits, requirements and potential technology enablers. The purpose of this is to
determine whether the development risks and implementation costs associated with specific
technologies may be shared across several applications.
There is of necessity in any area of evolving technology, a mix of “top down” operational and
user expectations which set goals and objectives, and “bottom up” advances in technology.

It is the role of systems engineering to evaluate requirements and potential solutions, to

determine the most cost-effective means of achieving the operational (user) requirements
with the available or emerging technology.
The systems engineering activities includes the evaluation of the “Required Communications
Performance” (RCP) and the safety and contingency analysis of potential solutions.
Example issues that have to be addressed include:
• consideration of how the asymmetric nature of controller pilot data link communications
(50% originates at the controller, but of the 50% that originates from the air, less than 1%
originates at each aircraft) impacts on subnetwork technology,
• cost/benefits comparisons of the ATN internet versus other networking solutions (e.g.
other corporate networks, VPNs, the commercial Internet) over the whole range or
aeronautical applications,
• resolution of the approach to air-to-air and broadcast or multi-cast data communications,
• synchronisation of airborne and ground systems implementation.
6.6.8.2 Architecture
6.6.8.2.1 General architectural issues

The strategy is to use a layered approach to the specification and implementation of
communications functionality, so that major subsystems can be developed, integrated,
tested, upgraded and removed without the need to redesign the entire communications
environment.
There is the need to adapt the existing ground applications such as OLDI, SYSCO, CIDIN,
RADNET, where these have embedded the network service into the application code, to the
layered network architecture. This will have an impact on the existing ATC centres
infrastructure, but will ease the transition problem of supporting such applications on to
alternative sub-networks such as, Frame Relay, ISDN, ATM to fibre optics, Ethernet, fast
Ethernet etc. The choice of LAN and WAN technologies will be based on quality-of-service
and cost-benefit figures.
Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) will be specified where appropriate to achieve
portability and reusability of components of the communications infrastructure.
6.6.8.2.2 Intra-centre communications

ATC centres today are built as “closed” proprietary architectures, on the basis that their
internal distribution of functionality and communication is a local matter. In current and future
upgrades or replacement, there has to be recognition of an increasing requirement for
commonality of approach and functionality, as increasingly complex information structures
will need to be exchanged both between components of a centre, and between centres.
The intra-centre strategy has defined a data communications architecture for future ATM
components based on open standards, as an enabler for interoperation between end system
components within an ATC centre. This has been published as guidance material for states
implementing new ATC systems, including the networking protocols.
6.6.8.3 Middleware
6.6.8.3.1 Purpose
“Middleware” relates to the software development tools and run-time environments, which
support the distribution of applications and data across an unlimited number of hardware and

software platforms. As such, it brings the potential for significant cost savings on new
system development, through the reuse of common components, and the standardised
approach to inter-computer communications, the complexity of which are hidden from the
systems implementer.
The need for middleware was determined during the development of the overall CNS/ATM
architecture and has been further identified by application analysis conducted for the
communications strategy, for example:
• FDP Interchange,
• Radar data exchange,
• Enhanced Tactical Flow Management,
• AOC/ATS Information Sharing.
However the requirement has not been determined with any precision and in order to
formulate an effective development plan for middleware a study will need to be launched to
validate the proposed strategy and to determine both the application needs, in terms of
services, and the potential technology options. It should be noted that some countries that
have adopted a distributed server architecture have already implemented some form of
middleware.
6.6.8.3.2 Assumptions
The following assumptions will be validated through analysis and studies or otherwise:
• Open standards will be used but not restricted to ISO. Both OSF and OMG standards
may be used. The standards to be applied will be the subject of an architecture and
software technology study.
• The service definition and interface between the middleware and the application will be
determined jointly by those responsible for provision of the underlying communications
service and those responsible for the applications.
6.6.8.3.3 Evolution
The application requirements for process-to-process communication are largely undefined.
In the short term a study will be launched to provide the following information:
• Analysis of application requirements (end to end),
• Software technology trends,
• Transition/ institutional issues – ability of countries to Implement,
• Products – ability of ATC industry to build (open/ modular),
• Cost/ benefit.
In the medium term, it should be possible for implementers in the states and in industry to
adopt basic middleware components for administrative and non-safety-critical applications.
The issues of safety and certification for more demanding applications will be investigated.
In the long term, it should be feasible to deploy operational systems, including ATC centre
components, based on (“certified”) middleware products, at considerably lower cost than
would be possible using today’s technology.
6.6.8.3.4 Strategy

The support of middleware is fundamental to the COM strategy, however, the specification,
selection, support and maintenance of middleware products is outside the remit of the COM
domain, and is a matter for implementers of information distribution and management
services.
6.6.8.4 Contingency Concept (Disaster Recovery)

A European contingency concept is required which will describe the measures to be
implemented for the restoration of air navigation services after the failure of control centres
or towers.
The various aspects of fail safety and reliability of the IT systems have always played a
central role in systems development, implementation, and in the management of
communications systems of the air navigation services. In view of increasing automation and
higher degrees of complexity in the hardware and software, these basic principles should
receive particular attention during planning. The preparation for possible contingency cases
consists of having additional or alternative resources in reserve. The extent of these
resources will depend on the outcome of the not yet concluded planning for failure situations.
In the assumed case of a catastrophe, the operational capacity of European ATS providers
should be restricted as little as possible and reinstated as quickly as possible. After the
remaining risk, which is carried by the ANSP, has been determined, resources can be
allocated and corresponding concepts developed in conjunction with the telecommunication
domain and under consideration of the above-mentioned premises.
Guidelines for Application of ATS Contingency planning are available that provide a
statement of overall policy. Work has also been carried out in the context of the EAN project.
If it is assumed that the proposal is to focus on network service recovery and continuation,
then this should be considered during the PENS architecture and design phase, and in the
development of the service level management plan and associated contracts (between
States or third parties). What also needs to be considered is that it is end-to-end service that
is required. There will be both National or Regional considerations and the plan most cover
infrastructure and all media (voice; data; future video or imaging etc).
As part of the disaster/recovery plan, aspects of service delivery/restoration that should be
considered include:
• Establishment of application and service priorities – grades of service for recovery as a
part of the service management contract
• Costing of grade of service for recovery: The service continuity plan is decided as part of
the business impact analysis which will define the RTO (recovery time objective) for the
applications. What needs to be borne in mind is the cost of maintenance rises
considerably if 24-hr call out is required.
• For mission critical services- provision of remotely accessible/ switchable Customer
Premises Equipment (CPE)
• Service management – measurement of transient errors with cut off points for reporting/
re-routing- as many telecommunication faults start as transient conditions prior to
complete failure.
• Evaluation of alternative technologies as back up for major outages (for example –
Satcom to a recovery centre for onward distribution
• Development and test or risk/recovery scenarios
Security breaches and corresponding recovery actions should also be covered as part of the
risk/recovery scenarios

6.6.9 Means to achieve the system wide objectives

The COM Team provides a focal point within the European ANSP community for the
international discussion and formalisation of system-wide communications requirements, and
the approach to their provision. The Link2000+ Project is looking at the ECAC deployment of
the ATN. (ATN)
An ongoing reassessment has to take place to define the functional characteristics, preferred
technologies, profiles (viable and useful combinations of functionality) and technological
requirements to ensure interoperability, together with target service levels based on how
technology evolves and on new operational requirements. This reassessment also needs to
address the benefits of technology sharing across several applications. (Economics)
The applicability of commercial off-the-shelf technology in order to reduce investment costs
for the ATM community needs to be investigated by addressing the following aspects:-
functionality, performance, cost-benefits, safety and transition issues. (COTS)
Further studies are needed for:
• Technological studies and trials on emerging technologies like UMTS, CORBA and Java;
(COTS, Systems Engineering)
• Application studies and trials for air-ground, ground-ground and air-air communications,
e.g. collaborative and co-operative tools, pilot situational awareness, pilot navigation and
–information applications, and support for automatic tools. (Architecture)
The ATN Implementation is driven by the Link 2000+ project based on defined operational
requirements justified by a Business Case.
The GACS mechanism is a possible means to allow AOC and ATC traffic to coexist on the
ATN. (Economics)
As there are several strands of activity relating to systems management, both organisational
and technical, a study will be required in order to investigate more deeply, and to define a
system management approach applicable to the particular characteristics of pan-European
networks (multi-national/multi-service provider). The target will be to ensure a consistent
plan is developed that covers data, voice and the physical infrastructure. (Systems
Management and Security)
A study is required to develop and validate specifications for directory services, with the
necessary levels of security, appropriate for the ATM community.
It is envisaged that a study will be conducted to specify and standardise ECAC-wide security
mechanisms (both technical and procedural) to protect information flows using the ground-
ground or air-ground communications infrastructure. (Systems Management and Security)

7. LIST OF STRATEGY ELEMENTS
This section provides an overall road map towards the implementation of the communication services and infrastructure and the
policies which guide it.
The following tables itemise the various communications components discussed in section 6 of this document, together with the
strategy items, objectives and actions. The last column describes the expected business benefits, which may be in terms of
enabling Operational Improvements (OI’s) or of improving communications cost-effectiveness. An additional table identifies other
strategy items that arise from other parts of the document, and which need to be addressed in order to meet the communications
strategy requirements
7.1 Elements from Section 6

Component Strategy Item Objective Strategic Actions Benefits
Data Air-ground data To analyse To assess, in conjunction with ODT, the Improved controller and ATC efficiency by
communication communication requirements and define business case for the proposed services, reduction of voice interactions with pilots
services services and validate including cost of implementation, impact together with provision of services to ATC
specifications for on ATC and flight crew, safety analysis tools
communications and transition, coexistence and migration Reduced cockpit workload through digital
services in support of issues. transfer of information, which can be passed
distributed applications directly to onboard IT systems,
between ATS units and Specify, validate, prototype, trial, define
aircraft. RCP for air-ground data communications Increased safety factor by eliminating human
Communications services and protocols. error in interpretation of voice messages.
support of ADS-based
surveillance.
To consider ATS, Study the requirements for “Collaborative Minimised investment costs by sharing the
airlines and airports in Decision Making” as applicable in ECAC same infrastructure for ATS, AOC and APC
the context of states. purposes
harmonised utilisation of Apply a total systems approach to To enable ATS providers and airspace users
air ground data links utilisation of available bandwidth. to select the preferred scheduling and routing
options for each flight.
Air to air data To analyse Analyse requirements in order to specify Improved flight effectiveness, situation
communication requirements and and validate new services. awareness. –
services identify and specify new
services


Ground mobile To analyse Identify user requirements. Analyse Improved surface management at airports
data requirements and requirements in order to specify new will improve efficiency, meaning more flight
communication identify and specify new services. arrivals/departures can be handled.
services services Identify key technologies. Define
architecture.
Ground-ground To analyse Identify user requirements Improved centre efficiency through better
(fixed) data requirements and Specify and validate new services information flow.
communications specify and validate Plan transition processes where needed Better services to clients (airlines) through
services data communications Address Met, military, CFMU and CRCO applications such as CDM.
services, taking into information exchanges Ground co-ordination is a means to achieve
account the integration Evaluate connectivity requirements for some of the air-ground benefits.
of existing and planned connection to airports and AOC ground
national networks, for: infrastructure (in conjunction with airport
• centre to centre study group.
• regional organisation Migrate applications to IP interfaces
to centre provided by PENS
• Airlines/ ATS/
Airports collaboration
(CDM)
AMHS To implement Implement the transition and migration Cost effective migration of legacy AFTN
international AMHS. process In accordance with ECIP switches to modern technology, with the
COM05. possibility of COTS software (based on
An offline management service is needed X.400)
to support the introduction of AMHS..
”Next Generation To provide new and Identify user requirements. Study the Lower cost of ownership through use of
information more efficient transition from AMHS to a “next COTS technology.
Distribution” information sharing generation” information distribution
services for the mechanism.
aeronautical community
To achieve overall Ensure that the architectures allow Reduction in overall communications costs to
communications savings operational and administrative traffic the ANSPs.
by utilising shared sharing on the data networks and bearer
communications for services.
administrative traffic. To provide advice and guidance to IT
managers.


Voice Air-ground voice To provide an Analyse the balance and impact of Better quality, higher reliability and less
communication communication immediate, safe and datalink use on the voice services in the congestion on voice circuits will improve
services services reliable voice context of traffic growth. flight safety and efficiency.
communications service Study the relationship between the ATS
between cockpit and voice services and the voice paths used
control centre at all for APC including technical and
times. institutional issues.
Study benefits and systems implications
of adopting a digital end-to-end voice
system.
Analyse dialogue management
requirements for voice and data
synchronisation.
Evaluate end-to-end voice technologies
which will enhance voice communication.
Specify the preferred solution and plan
transition.
Evaluate the future characteristics of
To provide voice these services in the situation of:
information services • Introduction of selective calling on
voice channels (no broadcast)
• Introduction of datalink-based
equivalent services.
Air-air voice To define new Study the implications of these new In support of various concepts associated
communications requirements based on operational concepts and examine the with cooperative ATS
services cooperative ATS impact on air-air voice.
concept.
Ground mobile To define the role of Study the communications requirements To reduce VHF congestion at airports
voice ground mobile voice for aircraft during ground based phases of To increase safety by improving end-to-end
communications services in the Gate-to- flight, and for ground vehicles at all time. voice quality and thus minimise the risk of
services gate context. misunderstandings
Study the end-to-end voice requirements
in a mixed (fixed + mobile) voice
environment, and make technical
recommendations for implementation.


Ground-ground To improve inter-centre Implementation, by bi-lateral agreement, Improved call-set-up and speech quality.
voice voice communications of inter-ANSP digital links using ATS-
communication services QSIG in preference to existing analogue
services systems (ECIP COM06).
To support external Study access and charging requirements, Wider communications (outside the ANSP
communication also security issues. community) and improved call-set-up and
requirements for CDM speech quality.
and gate-to-gate
purposes.
Pan European Data Network To deploy IP-based Manage the transition process to achieve Cost-effective way of providing harmonised
Fixed Network Services network services for a consistent high QoS international data networking services across the ECAC
Service (PENS) ECAC-wide data service level, embodying different area.
exchange. technologies.
To utilise IP-based Study the implications and technologies VOIP is the mainstream direction for future
network service for necessary to achieve this migration. voice services. ANSPs will save on costs by
voice communication adopting industry-standard technology.
Switching Fabric To identify and procure Plan the migration from X.25 to IP over PNO service provision offers potentially
integrated network Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Frame lower communications costs and higher
services based on Relay and other identified switching fabric performance, thereby improving the cost-
Service Level technologies. effectiveness of the network services that are
Agreements based on them.
Mobile Network VHF Frequency To facilitate the orderly Establish and maintain a database of Immediate access to authoritative
Services (MNS) Management allocation of frequencies frequency allocation for ANSPs, airspace information on frequency utilisation, as a tool
in the VHF COM Band. users and others. for frequency planning.
Assist States in the process to support
efficient frequency allocation.
Data mobile To specify and validate Promote cost/benefits analysis, This is the enabler for air-ground and mobile
services the necessary data experimental work and pre-operational data communications services.
communications links trials. Evaluate technology options for Cost savings can be achieved where carrier
between mobile entities enhanced mobile data services. services are shared between ATS and AOC,
and fixed locations. Address the integration of ATS, AOC, AAC and APC traffic.
AAC and APC data over common
carriers. Plan transition for ECAC-wide
deployment of selected solutions.


Voice mobile To specify and validate Evaluate the benefits of new technology, This is enabler to the safety-critical voice
services appropriate voice e.g. digitised voice, voice compression communications services.
communications paths and direct addressing. Cost savings may be achievable by the
for ATS use in the Evaluate the ATS use of alternative voice application of COTS voice technology in an
ECAC area. communications technologies such as ATS environment, subject to satisfactory
GSM, UMTS, TETRA etc. performance and safety analysis.
To facilitate the Extend the deployment of 8.33kHz Improved utilisation of VHF spectrum,
expansion of 8.33kHz operation horizontally (more sectors) and resulting in capacity increases in congested
deployment across the vertically (lower flight levels) air space.
ECAC area
”New technology” To achieve more cost- Continue the feasibility analysis, to define Cost savings to ANSPs and airspace users
mobile effective mobile the baseline for the next generation may be achievable by the application of
communications communications through mobile communication systems, to COTS integrated technology in an ATS
links the adoption and support ATM voice and data services, environment, subject to satisfactory
deployment of more taking into account safety, cost benefit, performance and safety analysis..
spectrum-efficient new technical and transitional considerations.
technology
System-wide The use of COTS To achieve faster Ensure that the benefits of using COTS Cost savings to ANSPs and airspace users
issues products deployment of new solutions are fully realised in the may be achievable by the application of
communications specification of new communications COTS technology
services and systems, and that custom-built solutions
technologies at lower are only applied where safety
cost considerations make this a necessity.
Safety To reassess the process Evaluate, in conjunction with the relevant Shorter certification lead times mean that
Management of certifying operational safety and certification agencies, the new technologies, with associated cost
concepts embodying process for safety management, hazard savings, can be introduced more quickly.
new technologies, with a analysis and mitigation, and certification
view to simplification of comms-dependent operational
and streamlining. concepts.
Radio spectrum To defend and maintain Prepare and present the case for A necessary pre-requisite to ensure
resources the aeronautical aeronautical spectrum to the relevant adequate communications channels are
spectrum allocation in international bodies. available to meet the needs of air navigation.
Europe and beyond.
The ATN To specify, validate, To deploy ATN in the context of This is the enabler for the data
deploy and promote the LINK2000+ and CASCADE programmes. communications services, particularly in the
ATN as the technical Evaluate the benefits of IP-based air-ground arena.
answer to aeronautical subnetworks.
data communications.


End-to-end voice To assess and Study and establish the QoS The benefits associated with new operational
communication recommend the means requirements, assess what is achieved concepts need a more wide-reaching voice
to deliver high quality today and formulate a cost-effective plan communications capability across multiple
end-to-end voice over for improved end-to-end voice services. network technologies.
multiple fixed and
mobile networks
Systems To specify and Specify and validate the means to The maximum efficiency of use of network
Management and, harmonise the approach achieve a consistent and co-ordinated services can only be achieved through
Directory to systems management end-to-end management of effective management of resources.
and directories in the communications services in the ECAC Directories have the potential to ease the
ECAC area. area. usage of comms services.
Plan the transition processes to deploy

enhanced network systems management
services.
Evaluate the aeronautical requirements
and costs/benefits for a “Directory
Service”.
Security To develop security Analyse the security threats to Communications resources will be protected
mechanisms and the aeronautical communications and to from attack which would impair the levels of
supporting management specify appropriate counter-measures. safety necessary for ATS purposes.
infrastructure to protect Assist in the formulation of ECAC-wide
ATS communications (and internationally harmonised) security
from cyber-terrorism policies and processes.
Systems To ensure that the Analyse the functionality and Required Reduced costs and time of implementation
Engineering overall systems design Communications Performance to meet through ensuring synchronisation of delivery
for voice and data operational requirements, and assure and service compatibility between different
communications appropriate solutions are being specified. implementations.
services meet, in a most
cost-effective manner,
operational
requirements.
To assess the benefits Analyse the communications Reduced costs through the use of common
of sharing technological requirements arising in the Navigation technology solutions across domains.
solutions over several and Surveillance domains for synergy
applications with communications domain
requirements.


Architecture To provide a stable To ensure that communications Reduced risk and cost through the adoption
technical framework in specifications are developed with the cost of a clear and logical decomposition of
which components of of implementation a key concern. functionality, and management of the impact
the systems may be Define interfaces that identify to users of change in component technology.
developed. how they may connect to and access
communications services.
To provide guidelines Identify and develop appropriate generic Reduction of cost of system definition and
for the communications profiles of ATC centre communications procurement through the use of common
architecture of ATC functionality which may be incorporated specifications.
centres and internal into systems specifications, in accordance Minimised risk of incompatibilities at the
data distribution. with EATMP objectives. communications level.
Middleware To provide common Study, in conjunction with application Reduction in complexity and cost for new
solutions for new owners, interoperability requirements. software to support distributed applications
communications and Study standards and portable software and data, and provision of common solutions
data distribution platforms for appropriate functionality. which avoid duplication. Risk reduction
requirements between Contribute to work on interoperability through use of consistent technology.
heterogeneous policy.
computer systems.
Contingency To identify the Identify the impact on communications Continuity of service for end users may be
Concept communications provision necessary to meet alternative achieved through the adoption of a co-
implications of a possible contingency scenarios. operative contingency concept (rather than
European contingency To implement the appropriate contingency discrete national solutions)
concept service.
To implement the
European contingency
concept.
7.2 Other elements of the strategy

Context (from Monitoring COM To verify the expected An ongoing reassessment process will Continuous assessment of the actual results
3.7.2) improvements performance monitor actual improvements (as reported of COM evolution provides feedback to help
improvements are met. by users) against the target tune the COM strategy
improvements resulting from COM
changes.


Institutional National To obviate the risks of A study will analyse the pending The COM strategy can only succeed if due
Issues (from regulations, ICAO the failure of institutional issues and will propose attention is paid to institutional issues in the
section 5.2) rules, legal communications approaches including specific institutional member states.
obligations of projects through failure arrangements and/or regulation packages
states. to address the related to resolve them.
institutional issues.
Technology R New To ensure that the Ongoing research and awareness New cost-savings opportunities will arise
and D (from technologies, ECAC community is in a activities will be undertaken. from new technologies, and service level
section 5.3) technology trends position to derive improvements will also be achievable.
maximum benefit from
new and more cost-
effective
communications
technologies as they
evolve.
Standardisation De-jure and To ensure that the To observe and/or participate in the Reduced costs through the use of common
(from 5.4) industry appropriate global appropriate standardisation I. interoperable standards.
standardisation standards are available
for the communications
needs of the ECAC
states.
Service Level Telcos, service To ensure that To develop SLA templates for the Cost savings will be achievable through the
Agreements provision, Virtual adequately defined and procurement of externally provisioned selective use of competent service
(from 5.4.4) Private Networks. harmonised service services. providers, assuming satisfactory service
level agreements are in level agreements can be reached.
place to meet the needs
of ECAC states.

8. MAINTENANCE OF THE STRATEGY
This section defines the procedure which ensures that during its lifetime the strategy is
updated to take account of technology trends, the changing requirements and policies and
the results of cost/benefit studies which narrow down the options.
The Communications Strategy is the basis of the overall planning of the EATMP
Communications Domain. The main elements of planning comprise the Communications
Strategy, the European Convergence and Implementation Programme (ECIP) and the
EATMP Work Programme Document (EWPD).
The Communications Strategy provides the overall framework within which planning of
EATMP communication services should conform. It charts the direction within which the
communications services should move within the next 15 to 20 years. The Communications
Strategy provides an overall framework, to assist in the derivation of CIP Objectives and
activities in the EATMP Work Programme
The ECIP describes the agreed performance targets and the convergence and
implementation objectives and stakeholder lines of action, pertinent to meet the performance
targets through harmonisation within and between States. The ECIP and local CIPs reflect
the commitment of States to achieve these objectives and targets within the next 5 to 10
years.
The Communication Strategy must be periodically updated, to ensure that a relevant,
validated strategy is available for formulating the ECIP and EWPD updates. Taking into
consideration the mechanics of the EATMP Working Structure, the Strategy should be
reviewed annually, with a major update at least every 5 years, for which an extended
timescale should be introduced. The ECIP and EWPD should be updated at least every 2
years, in line with the strategy.
As they become available the strategies from other domains, the national programmes,
actual progress of work and implementation will influence the strategy during its update
cycle.
Co-ordination with other EATMP strategies will also be done during the update cycle.
Co-ordination will also be undertaken with airspace users, particularly airlines, to ensure that
their needs and constraints are understood when evolving the strategy.

9. APPENDIX A – GLOSSARY
This section provides a description of some of the terms and abbreviations used in the body
of the document. These descriptions are provided as an aid to understanding the content of
this document, and should NOT be regarded as authoritative definitions. If authoritative
definitions are required, these should be available in standard communications or
aeronautical reference works.
Acronym Expansion Meaning
A/A Air/Air
AAC Aeronautical Administrative Administrative communications between
Control an airline and its aircraft
ABR Available Bit Rate An Asynchronous Transfer Mode service
ACA ATC centre Communications A EUROCONTROL task force
Architecture
ACARS Aircraft Communications and Commercial data service offered between
Reporting System aircraft and ground organisations.
ACL Aeronautical Clearances An ORD service
Service
ACM Aeronautical Communications An ORD service
Management
ACP Aeronautical Communications ICAO Panel which has taken over (in
Panel 2003) the work formerly handled in ATNP
and AMCP.
ADAP Automatic Downlink of Aircraft
Parameters
ADEXP ATS Data Exchange Protocol
ADS Automatic Dependent Automatic reporting of position and intent
Surveillance by aircraft.
ADS-B ADS Broadcast Broadcasts ADS reports to all listening
stations, in the air or on the ground.
ADS-C ADS Contract Sends ADS reports on a contractual basis
to specific ground stations.
AEEC Airlines Electronic Engineering
Committee
AERO I/H+ Satellite Data 2, 3 services
AFTN Aeronautical Fixed The telegraphic messaging service
Telecommunications Network defined by ICAO and operated by states
and/or service providers.
A/G Air/Ground
AGINF Air-ground Infrastructure A component strategy
AGSVC Air ground services A component strategy
Edition: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page68


AIDC Aeronautical Inter-facility Data
Communication
AIS Aeronautical Information
Service
AM Amplitude Modulation
AMC ATC Microphone Check
AMHS Aeronautical Message Handling ICAO adaption of the commercial MHS
Service standards (X.400) for aeronautical
purposes.
ANS Air Navigation Services The complete service taxonomy for air
navigation
ANSP Air Navigation Service Provider An organisation charged with the
responsibility to deliver Air Traffic
Services.
AOA ACARS over AVLC Possible transition path to datalink
AOC Aeronautical Operational The control / communications between an
Control airline and its aircraft.
APC Aeronautical Passenger Communications services provided to
Communication airline passengers in flight.
API Applications Programming
Interface
Application A set of functionality, provided by software
and/or hardware, which delivers a defined
service to its user.
ARB Authoritative Representative Group established to control the allocation
Board of radio frequencies for aeronautical use
in the ECAC area.
ARINC 623 North American specification for ACARS-
based messages
ASD Air Situation Display
ASE ATM Systems Engineering A EUROCONTROL task force
ASM Air Space Management
ASN.1 Abstract Syntax Notation 1 Formal notation used for protocol
definitions
ASTERIX All-purpose Structured
Eurocontrol Information
eXchange
ATC Air traffic Control The air traffic service relating to the
control of aircraft movements.
ATFM Air Traffic Flow Management
ATIS Automatic Terminal Information
Service


ATM Air Traffic Management
ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode A cell-based digital transport protocol
used in the latest high speed data
services
ATN Aeronautical 1. The ICAO specifications for an
Telecommunications Network aeronautical internet and applications
which run over it.
2. The actual physical network
(conforming to the ICAO
specifications) as implemented in a
state or region.
ATNP The ATN Panel (of ICAO) Where the ATN SARPs were developed.
Now superseded by the ACP
ATS Air Traffic Services The services to airspace users, and
defined by ICAO, to ensure safety of air
navigation.
ATSEX ATS External Communications A component strategy
AVLC Aviation VHF Link Control ACARS over VDL Mode 2
BUFR Binary Universal Form for the
Representation of
meteorological data
CAAS Common AMHS Addressing
Scheme
CAP Controller Access to An ORD service
Parameters
CBA Cost/Benefit Analysis
CBR Constant Bit Rate An Asynchronous Transfer Mode service
CCIR International Consultative Predecessor to ITU-R
Committee for Radio
CCITT International Consultative Predecessor to ITU-T
Committee for Telegraphy and
Telephony
CDM Collaborative Decision Making A process involving communication
between aircraft, controllers and airlines,
to determine the optimum available
routing for a flight.
CDMA Code Division Multiple Access CDMA transmits simultaneous signals
over a shared portion of the spectrum.
CEC The Commission of the The administrative branch of European
European Communities government.
CEN/ Committee for European European counterparts of ISO/IEC
CENELEC Normalisation/ Committee for
European Normalisation in the
Electrotechnical field


CEPT European Conference for Posts Organisation responsible for European
and Telecommunications spectrum management
CEU Central Executive Unit
CFMU Central Flow Management Unit
CIDIN Common ICAO Data The ICAO point-to-point protocols and
Interchange Network service used for some data transmission
between centres.
CIPD Convergence and
Implementation Programme
Document
CM Context Management Data application which allows an aircraft
and ground station to establish meaningful
data dialogues.
CMID Communications “middleware” A component strategy
CMIS/CMIP Common Management ISO standard for the exchange of
Information Service / Protocol management information.
CN Corporate Network A communications network owned by or
operated on behalf of an organisation.
CNS/ATM Communications, Navigation
and Surveillance / Air Traffic
Management
COM Team Communications team The group of state representative and
Agency staff who direct the
communications policy
CONS Connection-Oriented Network
Service
CORBA Common Object Request Standardised means by which object-
Broker Architecture oriented applications broadcast their
services or seek required services.
COTRAC An ORD service
COTS Commercial Off-the-shelf Standard (rather than bespoke) products
(software) (usually software)
CPDLC Controller-pilot data link Data representation of voice messages
communications between controllers and pilots.
CRCO Central Route Charging Office
CSD Context and Scope Document Part of the EATMS documentation set.
CTR Control Zone Airspace under specific air traffic control
regime (in the context of 8.33kHz
operation)
CWP Controller Work Position
D-ATIS Data Link Air Terminal
Information Service


DCA Designated Control Area (in the context of 8.33kHz operation)
D-OTIS Data Link Operational Terminal An ORD service
Information Service
D-RVR Data Link Runway Visual An ORD service
Range
DLIC Datalink Initiation Capability
D-SIGMET An ORD service
DCE Distributed Computing Industry specified architecture for
Environment application distribution.
DCL Departure Clearance An ORD service
DPS Data Processing System
DSB Double Side Band
DSC Downstream Clearance An ORD service
DSS1 Digital Signalling Service 1 ETSI profile for QSIG
DU Digital User signalling A EUROCONTROL task force
DYNAV An ORD service
EANPG European Air Navigation
Project Group
EASA European Aviation Safety
Agency
EATMP European Air Traffic
Management Programme
EATMS European Air Traffic The strategic direction for European ATM.
Management System
EAD European AIS Database The provision of a common reference
database for Europe
EC European Community
ECAC European Civil Aviation Either the body which formulates
(region) Conference European civil aviation policy, or the
geographic area covered by that body.
ECIP European Convergence and
Implementation Programme
ECG EATMP Communications A set of software components designed to
Gateway facilitate the migration from legacy
systems and protocols to the newer ICAO
data format and interchange SARPs.
ECMA European Computer European standards development body
Manufacturers Association for IT (creates inputs to ISO/IEC)
eFDP European Flight Data
Processing


EGNOS European Global Navigation
Overlay Service
ETSI European Telecommunications Responsible for public service
Standards Institute standardisation in Europe.
EU European Union
EUR Region European Region
EUROCAE European Organisation for Civil
Aviation Equipment..
FAA Federal Aviation Authority
FANS Future Air Navigation Services An ICAO “concept”.
FANS-1/A A set of protocols and messages defined
by the industry for initial datalink services,
based on ICAO FANS concept, marketed
by Boeing and Airbus.
FDP Flight Data Processing
FDPS Flight Data Processing System
FIR Flight Information Region An airspace in which defined services are
provided.
FIS Flight Information Service An ORD service
FLIPCY Flight Plan Consistency An ORD service
FM Frequency Modulation
FMG Frequency Management Group
FMTP Flight Message Transfer
Protocol
FPDE – TF Flight Plan related Data
Exchange Task Force
Frame Relay A data communications technology which
provides bandwidth on demand but has
low data integrity
FUA Flexible Use of Airspace One of the EUROCONTROL ATM
strategy for the years 2000+ future
concepts
GACS Generic ATN Communications
Service
Gatelink A communications path between an
aircraft and a ground network provided at
(or near) a gate (at an airport)
Gate-to-gate Concept which addresses all phases of
flight, from pre-departure through to
parked at destination airport.


GBAS Ground-Based Augmentation Means to enhance the precision of GNSS
System position measurement
GEOS Geo-stationary Satellite Satellite whose orbit is synchronised to
the rotation of the earth, and which
therefore remains at a relatively constant
position with respect to an earth station.
G/G Ground/Ground
GGSNIF Ground-ground subnetwork A component strategy
infrastructure
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite
Service
GRAS Ground-based Regional
Augmentation System
GSM Groupe Speciale Mobile, now The technology and networks which
Global System for Mobile support international mobile telephony.
communication
G/w Gateway
HEX Horizontal Expansion (of
8.33kHz deployment)
HF High Frequency Radio communications in the 2 – 30 MHz
range (also known as “Short Wave”)
Hiper-LAN High Performance European
LAN
HMI Human-Machine Interface
ICAO International Civil Aviation
Organisation
ICC Inter-Centre Communications
IETF Internet Engineering Task The body that controls the release of
Force “standards” relating to the Internet.
IFPU Initial Flight plan Provisioning
Unit
Infrastructure Necessary/essential supporting
technology and services (hierarchical)
INTER The ATN internet strategy A component strategy
IPAX Internet Protocol for Task Force addressing this topic
Aeronautical Exchange
ISDN Integrated Services Digital A commercial digital telephony offering of
Network the public network operators.
ISO/IEC International Organisation for Designates the joint standardisation work
Standardisation/ International of ISO and IEC, notably in the IT area.
Electrotechnical Committee
IT Information Technology


ITS Integrated Tower Systems
ITU-R International The organisation chartered by the United
Telecommunications Union – Nations Organisation to develop
Radio specifications for global radio services
ITU-T International The organisation chartered by the United
Telecommunications Union – Nations Organisation to develop
Telecommunications specifications for global
telecommunications services.
JAA Joint Aviation Authority
LAN Local Area Network
LASS Local Area Augmentation
System
LEO Low Earth Orbit Satellites whose orbit is close to the
earth’s surface
MANs Metropolitan Area Networks Networks whose coverage is broader than
that of traditional LANs, but less broad
than that of WANs, typically covering a
town, a university campus, an airport.
MATSE Meeting (of ECAC Ministers) on
the Air Traffic System in Europe
MBS Mobile Broadcast Services
MDNS Managed Data Network Service Similar to VPN
MEDUP Mediterranean Update
Programme
MET Meteorological
MEO Medium Earth Orbit Satellite whose orbit is between the LEO
and GEOS orbit levels.
MFC/R2 The signalling system standardised by the
ATS community and used by existing
voice switching systems
MHS • Message Generic industry terms, also a component
Handling strategy.
Services
• Message
Handling
System
MNS Mobile Network Service
Mode S A means to carry data along with a radar
(SSR) signal.
MPLS Multi-Protocol Label Switching IETF initiative to simplify and improved IP
packet exchange over e.g. ATM, Frame
relay networks.


NAV Strategy The strategy of the navigation domain.
NEAN North European ADS-B
Network
NGSS Next Generation Satellite New system based on CDMA/Wideband,
System for voice and data over satellite systems
NNI Network to Network Interface
Non- Requirements which qualify how well a
Functional system delivers its specified functionality.
Requirements Examples include reliability, availability,
throughput.
NSM Network Systems Management
NUP NEAN Update Programme
OATA Overall ATM/CNS Target
Architecture, OATA
OCD Operational Concept Document Part of the EATMS documentation set.
ODIAC Operational Development of
Integrated Air/ground data
Communications
ODP Open Distributed Processing The ISO initiative to document the
processes involved with specifying and
implementing distributed systems.
ODT Operational Requirements and
Data Processing team
Off-net Communications with organisations or
parties outside the ANSP community.
OLDI On-Line Data Interchange The format and protocols used for data
transmission between some centres
primarily in Europe.
OMG Object Management Group Industry grouping who specify or register
“object” definitions for object-oriented
software development.
ONP Open Network Provision Relates to a set of EC directives aimed at
opening up the provision of
telecommunications services on a fair and
equitable basis.
OPC Operational Communications
OPLINK OPLINK Panel (in ICAO)
PANEL
ORB Object Request Broker General means by which object-oriented
applications broadcast their services or
seek required services
ORD Operational Requirements Part of the EATMP document set.
Document


OSF Open Software Foundation Industry grouping supporting reusable and
portable software initiatives.
OSI Open Systems Interconnection
Out of band Signalling system that uses a separate
channel (to the voice or data) for
signalling.
Outsourcing The procurement of communications
services which have previously been
provisioned internally from some external
organisation.
PABX Private Automatic Branch Telephony switch for use within an
Exchange organisation, and to interface to the
outside (public) world.
PCM Pulse Code Modulation Means of carrying digitised voice at 64
KBPS. Used in ISDN and elsewhere.
PDH Plesiochronous Digital
Hierarchy,
PETAL Preliminary EUROCONTROL
Test of Air/ground data Link
PENS Pan-European Fixed Network
Service
PNNI Private Network Node Interface
PNO Public Network Operator Any organisation authorised to, and/or
actually offering network services on an
open basis.
ProATN Prototype Aeronautical
Telecommunication Network
PSS1 Private Signalling System 1 ECMA/ISO/IEC standardised QSIG
options for use in private digital voice
networks.
QoS Quality of Service
QSIG The “Q” series recommendation(s) being
developed by ITU-T for digital voice
signalling and supplementary services.
R&D Research and Development
RAP Recognised Air Picture Used in the Command and Control of
military air space
RF Radio Frequency
R/T Radio Telephony The “classical” controller-pilot voice
communications service
RASA Requirements Analysis A task force under the COM team
Strategy and Architecture responsible for developing this strategy.


RCP Required Communications The requirements (throughput, delay, QoS
Performance etc.) placed on the communications
system to meet an operational
requirement.
RPOA Recognised Private Operating Obsolescent ITU-T term for PNO which is
Agency authorised to offer network services. (In
deregulated environments, such
authorisation is no longer applicable.)
RTCA Obsolete acronym – no longer North American based association for the
expanded industry-formulation of aeronautical
specifications.
SAP System Access Parameters An ORD Service
SAR Search and Rescue Identified by ICAO as a service to
airspace users
SARPs Standards and Recommended The documents by which ICAO publishes
Practices information that is intended to be regarded
as a “standard”
SAT Satellite
SATCOM Satellite Communications
SBAS Satellite-Based Augmentation Means to enhance the positional
System information derived from GNSS
SCS System Concepts and Strategy Part of EUROCONTROL (was CSD)
Service A set of functionality provided by a service
provider to the service users on a
contracted basis (commercial or
otherwise).
Service • Any organisation offering network
Provider services on a commercial or other
basis.
• Any entity offering services to any
other entity
Service User • Any organisation which subscribes to
the services of a service provider.
• Any entity which makes use of the
services provider by a service provider.
SHF Super High Frequency Radio communication typically in the 500
MHz – 1 GHz range.
Single Image A term used when describing systems
management tools, whereby all aspects of
the system (comms links, switches, end
system services and users) can be
monitored from a single management
position with a common user interface.
SIP SMDS Interface Protocol


SLA Service Level Agreement The contractually binding set of
parameters that define the service to be
delivered by a provider to a user.
SM Systems Management
SMDS Switched Multi-Megabit Data
Service
SMGC Surface Movement Guidance
and Co-ordination
SMSTR Systems Management strategy A component strategy.
SNMP Simple Network Management The systems management protocol
Protocol developed for the Internet.
Software A radio equipment embodying a stored
Radio program controller which can be
reprogrammed so that the radio exhibits
different characteristics and/or supports
different radio protocols.
SSB Single Side Band
SUR Strategy The strategy of the surveillance domain.
SWIM System-Wide Information
Management
SYSCO System Co-ordination A means for co-ordination between
systems in Europe.
TCP/IP Transmission Control This acronym refers to the protocols used
Protocol/Internet Protocol by the global Internet.
TDM Time Division Multiplexing Used for sharing communications links
between a number of users
TETRA TErrestrial Trunked RAdio Standard for digital private mobile radio/
public access mobile radio.
Third Party Term used to describe a service provider,
where the communications services are
not provided by either of the
communicating parties.
TIS-B Traffic Information Service – Ground supporting service returning
Broadcast surveillance information to aircraft.
TMA Terminal Manoeuvring Area
UBR Unspecified Bit Rate An Asynchronous Transfer Mode service
UHF Ultra High Frequency Radio communication typically in the 200
– 500MHz range.
UMTS Universal Mobile Telephone The evolving technology for global mobile
Service (and fixed wireless) telephony
VBR Variable Bit Rate An Asynchronous Transfer Mode service


VCS Voice Communications System System which facilitates the origination
and reception of voice communications in
the aeronautical environment.
VDL VHF data link
VEX Vertical Expansion (of 8.33kHz
deployment)
VHF Very High Frequency Radio communications typically in the 30 -
200 MHz range
VLAN Virtual Local Area Network Concept whereby the “look and feel” of a
local area network is extended over
multiple geographic locations through
transparent use of WAN bridges.
VPN Virtual Private Network A network offering from a service provider,
which looks (to the user organisation) to
be a dedicated private network, but is
actually shared between many user
organisations.
WAN Wide Area Network
WAAS Wide Area Augmentation
Service
X.25 A data communications technology
providing bandwidth on demand with
relatively high levels of data integrity.
X.75 The ITU recommendations for
(international) interconnection of X.25-
based data networks.
X.400 The ITU Message Handling
recommendations, on which public
services are based.

10. APPENDIX B – REFERENCES
The following EUROCONTROL and/or External documents, together with working papers
contributed by States and Task Force members have contributed to the development of the
text in this strategy.
No. Title and/or description Version Date

[1] The EUROCONTROL Air Traffic Management - March 2003
Strategy for the years 2000+, Volumes 1 & 2
[2[ EATMP Communications Strategy Volume 3 1.1 04.06.1998
(Background)
[3] Link2000+ Programme Master Plan 0.9 2000
[4] ODIAC ORD 2.0 April 2000
[5] Doc 4444-ATM/501 Procedures for Air Navigation 14th 2001
Services - Air Traffic Management. Edition
[6] Proceedings of the EU Working Party on Aviation / Dec 2002
Transport Counsellors 11 / 13 December 2002
[7] ED109 Guidelines for Communication, Navigation, 1 March 2002
Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management
(CNS/ATM) Systems Software Integrity Assurance

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EUROPEAN ORGANISATION

FOR THE SAFETY OF AIR NAVIGATION

Edition Number : 6.0

EUROPEAN AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

EATMP COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY - VOLUME 2 –

STATUS, AUDIENCE AND ACCESSIBILITY

Host System Software Size

Page ii Proposed Issue Edition Number: 6.0

DOCUMENT CHANGE RECORD

EDITION EDITION INFOCENTRE PAGES

2.4c 19-07-00 Interim version for checking

Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page iv

EDITION EDITION INFOCENTRE PAGES

4.4 28-03-03 Revised after internal review Several

Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page v

About this Document................................................................................................ 1

2.3.1 Policy ................................................................................................................................ 4

2.3.3 Intent and Usage .............................................................................................................. 5

3. Overview of the communications strategy ...................................................... 6

3.6.1 Airspace users ................................................................................................................ 11

3.6.2 Air Navigation Service providers (ANSPs) ..................................................................... 11

3.6.3 Airports ........................................................................................................................... 11

3.6.4 Communication Service providers.................................................................................. 11

3.7 Context ................................................................................................................................... 11

3.7.1 Relationship to other strategies ...................................................................................... 11

3.7.2 The Communications Context ........................................................................................ 12

Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page vi

4.2 Airspace User Services .......................................................................................................... 14

4.3.1 ATS communications...................................................................................................... 15

4.3.2 Air Space Management .................................................................................................. 16

4.3.3 Air Traffic Flow Management.......................................................................................... 17

4.4 Navigation communications requirements ............................................................................. 17

4.5.1 Aeronautical Meteorological Information Service ........................................................... 17

4.5.2 Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) ........................................................................ 17

4.6 Airport Services ...................................................................................................................... 17

4.9.1 Surveillance communications requirements................................................................... 18

4.9.2 AOC, AAC and APC ....................................................................................................... 18

4.9.3 CIVIL/Military Co-ordination............................................................................................ 19

4.9.4 Communications Security............................................................................................... 19

4.9.5 Contingency Concepts ................................................................................................... 19

4.9.6 Required Communication Performance (RCP) .............................................................. 19

4.9.7 OATA .............................................................................................................................. 19

5. Opportunities and Constraints........................................................................ 19

5.1.1 European Union Legislation ........................................................................................... 20

5.1.2 Air Traffic Service Providers ........................................................................................... 21

5.1.3 Airspace Users ............................................................................................................... 22

5.1.4 Airports ........................................................................................................................... 22

5.2 Institutional Issues.................................................................................................................. 22

5.5.1 Public Telecommunications Operators (TELCOs) strategy ........................................... 26

5.5.2 Passenger Communication Service providers ............................................................... 26

Edition Number: 6.0 Proposed Issue Page vii

5.5.3 Impact of liberalisation and competition ......................................................................... 26

5.5.4 Specific “Aeronautical” Service Providers ...................................................................... 26

5.5.5 Implications for the ANSPs and other users................................................................... 26

5.6 Civil-Military Interoperability ................................................................................................... 27

6.2.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 29

6.2.2 Air-ground data communication services ....................................................................... 30

6.2.3 Programmes ................................................................................................................... 30

6.2.4 Transition and coexistence............................................................................................. 31

6.2.5 Future services ............................................................................................................... 31

6.2.6 Air-air data communication services .............................................................................. 31

6.2.7 Ground mobile data communication services ................................................................ 32