The Directorate of Civil-Military Air Traffic Management Coordination (DCMAC)

The military have been represented at the Agency since 1997, first through liaison officers, then through a small staff of military experts. The Directorate of Civil-Military ATM Coordination (DCMAC), comprising staff with civil and military expertise, was formally established at the end of 2006. It plays a key role in supporting the Member States in the development and implementation of the future European ATM network through joint civil-military partnerships. Civil and military air traffic management plans are carefully synchronised from the earliest stages of their development to ultimately achieve the fundamental objective of a genuine single European sky. To do this, the Agency is focusing on five key areas:

• regulatory harmonisation
• impact assessment studies
• airspace management and performance improvement
• interoperability of military communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) systems within the Single European Sky ATM Research Programme (SESAR)
• training

DCMAC steers several projects in these areas and monitors closely Member States’ needs which might require fact-finding in various areas. It is noteworthy here that EUROCONTROL has its own research and development facility, with its Experimental Centre near Paris, France.

SES - the performance partnership for ATM

A performance-oriented approach to ATM was an important part of the ECAC Institutional Strategy adopted by Transport Ministers in 1997. Such an approach is now firmly embedded in ICAO policies and has been reinforced through the adoption of the second package of the Single European Sky legislation (SES II).

In 2007, the Provisional Council of EUROCONTROL adopted the following targets:

Safety: 70% safety management and regulation maturity by end 2008 for all national regulators and en-route air navigation service providers (ANSPs).

Delay: en-route ATFM delay of 1 minute per flight for each summer period up to 2020.

Flight efficiency: reduction in the European average route extension per flight of 2 kilometres per year up to 2010.

Environment: reduce carbon dioxide emissions by achieving the flight efficiency target.

Cost-effectiveness: reduction in European average real unit cost of 3% per annum up to 2010.

SES II builds on the performance scheme contained in the SES I regulations adopted in 2004. The provisions of SES II will undoubtedly further drive ATM performance in the European Union and associated States, with the potential to extend to all EUROCONTROL States by decision of the appropriate governing bodies.

The future challenge will be to apply SES regulations in such a way that all relevant parties in Europe, irrespective of EU membership, can agree on common performance objectives, so that ATM performance can be improved for the benefit of civil and military users, staff, ANSPs, States and the travelling public.

More information at wwweurocontrol.int/prc


SESAR : The role of industry

SESAR will lead the way towards the modernisation of the European ATM system. Although the military mission is determined by the State, and not by industry, the military in Europe mostly operates in a mixed civil-military environment and contributes directly or indirectly to the air transport value chain (mixed airports, primary surveillance radar, air defence, search and rescue).

The dynamic management of the airspace network, a new operational concept based on 4D trajectories and collaborative decision-making across the ATM community, is the most prominent concept within the framework of SESAR. The enabler technology is called SWIM - system-wide information management.

To accommodate military requirements within this concept, the Military Mission Trajectory has been introduced. This trajectory is defined to require complex mission-tailored routings with multiple aircraft, using mission-tailored types and dimensions (volumes) of airspace reservations that allow it to enter the SWIM at any point without the usual preliminary information that would be visible on the civil side.

Following the definition phase, where a large consortium of stakeholders identified the objectives and framework for future air traffic management, the SESAR Joint Undertaking was set up to federate research and development efforts during the development phase up to 2016. This is where the required new generation of technological systems and components as defined in the Definition Phase’s ATM Master Plan and Work Programme will be produced.

The call for expressions of interest launched by the European Commission resulted in several offers from industry to participate in the R&D phase. This offers a unique opportunity to find a European approach in the interests of both airspace users and the procurement industry.


ATM and airspace security challenges

Immediately after the events of 11 September 2001, EUROCONTROL identified, in close consultation with Member States, ICAO, ECAC and the European Commission, four strategic initiatives aimed at better sharing of information, the setting-up of an ATM information focal point, the validation of encrypted air-ground communication capability and the review and harmonisation of emergency ATC procedures and training.

These four strategic initiatives were followed up by a broader policy document known as the Policy Guidance for the Enhancement of Air Navigation Security, focusing on enhancing awareness through identification and notification of suspicious aircraft, what ATM actions could ensue, and various long-term measures to ensure communication and exchange of information.

On the basis of these two documents, an ATM Security Strategy was developed and endorsed by NATO and EUROCONTROL, defining ATM security as ‘protective measures against both direct and indirect threats, attacks and acts of unlawful interference to the ATM system’.

In the wake of this strategy, airspace security was recognised as an area in its own right and an airspace security conference held at the end of 2008 attempted to identify a way ahead based on the needs and requirements of the national governmental authorities responsible for airspace and ATM security.

The main objectives were to:

• highlight the issues surrounding airspace security
• identify airspace security requirements
• identify best practices
• share experiences
• develop a common understanding

Participants were invited to fill in a questionnaire addressing specific questions about a number of airspace security topics. A panel of experts was set up to address the conclusions of the conference. The panel is expected to deliver its recommendations by June 2009.


Conclusion

European ATM is at a crossroads. Capacity, safety and security issues can only be solved by means of a harmonised, European-wide performance-based approach. Through its membership of EUROCONTROL, Turkey is invited to maintain its full involvement in this approach.