HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFMCNS) -- The Electronic Systems Center's Global Air Traffic Systems Group will hold its 2006 Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Conference Feb. 27 to Mar. 2 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
The conference will enhance Defense Department understanding of CNS/ATM requirements for civil airspace. It will also allow attendees to share expertise and improve processes to comply with civil CNS/ATM mandates, said Col. Geoffrey Lum, the group's commander.
This year's conference theme is "Integrating Military Operations in a Civilian CNS/ATM Environment." The conference is focused on the operational impact of DoD non-compliance with civil CNS/ATM initiatives in both Continental United States and overseas airspaces.
Military aviators from all branches, civilian aviation authorities, and industry representatives will discuss addressing evolving requirements and potential solutions.
"We've invited international speakers who can tell us what's on the horizon in air traffic management from a global perspective," said Lt Col Michael Harrington, Global Air Traffic Management Division chief. The conference will feature experts from EUROCONTROL, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, United States Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, the Joint Planning Development Office, Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, and Nav Australia.
"This year we've broadened our focus from strictly enroute CNS/ATM capabilities and included those capabilities and systems essential to aircraft departures and landings," Colonel Lum said.
Presentations from land- and sea-based systems such as the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System, Mobile Approach Control System and the Air Force Terminal Instrument Procedures Replacement programs will be provided.
Although military aircraft are generally exempted from complying with international civil aviation authority requirements, non-compliance has and will continue to have an adverse impact on DoD operational missions. Impacts include delays in entering airspace or being forced to use non-optimal routes and altitudes, which can have a significant impact on fuel usage, flight time, and more.
"Our goal is to make (users) aware of these standards and impacts, along with the products that can bring aircraft into compliance," Colonel Lum said.
For conference, hotel and vendor registration, and other information, visit the Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association site at http://www.afceaboston.com. The chapter is co-sponsoring the event.
The Global Air Traffic Systems Group is the Air Force's center of excellence for all global CNS/ATM capability requirements. The Group assists platform program managers in developing sound acquisition strategies to provide CNS/ATM capabilities for every Air Force aircraft type. In addition, the Group facilitates the acquisition of CNS/ATM related products for the Air Force and other DoD agencies via the iGATM catalog (for more info visit https://igatm.hanscom.af.mil).