EUROCONTROL workshop addresses interoperability of civil-military systems in SESAR

A civil-military workshop has identified the key issues to be addressed in order to ensure civil-military datalink interoperability in the future air traffic management system.

The workshop, concluded that if interoperability is to be ensured, security constraints, information modelling, spectrum interference, military operational and technical requirements and the financial impact of SESAR all need to be addressed as priority.  The importance of initiating studies analysing the opportunities and constraints of the reuse of existing and planned military capabilities was also seen as important.

“To find jointly acceptable solutions, we need to ensure that the military authorities are fully involved in the SESAR development phase,” said Jean-Robert Cazarré, Director of Civil-Military ATM Coordination at EUROCONTROL speaking at the opening of the workshop. “In the longer term, interoperability and the convergence of civil and military technologies supporting data-link is the only real way forward.”

The meeting, held on 17 and 18 September at EUROCONTROL in Brussels, also heard from the Head of SESAR and ATM Strategy Division of EUROCONTROL, Mr Bernard Miaillier who underlined the need for solutions enabling the coexistence of civil and military aircraft in the future 4D trajectory environment.

The presence of over 70 representatives from a wide range of organisations including States’ military organisations, NATO, the US Department of Defence and European defence industries, underlined the importance that is being given to civil-military data link interoperability. Participants used the meeting to set out their expectations in this area, and underlined their requirement for support and facilitation in ensuring that military aerial and ATM requirements are integrated into SESAR.