The US Department of Defense has completed initial trials of digital ATC towers at its Air Force and Naval bases in Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
The remote digital towers, which were supplied by Frequentis can be set up in a military container environment with controller working positions in short time frames. The digital towers have been designed to enhance crew safety, situational awareness, training, and other mission requirements to support ATC operations.
Frequentis Defense (FDI), the US Air Force Flight Standards Agency, and the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic worked together to complete three trials of the digital tower to prove the operational feasibility and benefits of the system for military personnel.
Operational assessments were initially carried out in a fixed tower configuration at an Air Force Base, followed by an expeditionary deployment at a second Air Force Base. A third trial was conducted at a Naval Air Station, where the digital tower was used to control an airfield at a remote location.
Ed Wright, executive director, headquarters US Air Force Flight Standards Agency said, “We think the future is bright for the remote digital tower. We continue to do assessments of this technology and continue to be impressed with it.
“We do believe it has benefits, particularly where we don’t have to put the controllers in the tower, keeping them out of harm’s way,”
The control room can be in a centralised location allowing staff working on different scenarios to be co-located. Being a digital solution enhances the system’s abilities, integrating data from sensors, cameras, and radar to create a 360 degree, panoramic, out of the window view that includes standard and thermal imaging in all weather conditions.
With cameras, air traffic controllers can replace outdated binoculars, increasing their ability to view the airspace and airfield, which greatly enhances situational awareness. The digital information provided to the controller is also recorded for reference and training.
Jay Balakirsky, president of Frequentis Defense said, “Digital Tower technology is changing the way that air traffic is controlled and will improve the safety, efficiency, and capability of air operations.”