Air Traffic Control

The Air Traffic Control (PE 0604633A) program is a key element of the Army's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, focused on the modernization and development of tactical Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems. The overarching goal of this program is to ensure the safety of aircraft operations by providing advanced airspace management, planning, and execution capabilities that comply with civil, military, domestic, and international ATC mandates. The program supports the Army's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) initiative and is aligned with broader Department of Defense (DoD) priorities for multi-domain operations and joint force integration.

A central component of this program is the Tactical Airspace Integration System (TAIS), which serves as the Army's program of record for Airspace Control (AC) and enroute Air Traffic Services (ATS). TAIS is designed to deliver digitized, multi-echelon planning and dynamic execution of airspace management, supporting Army commanders, airspace users, air traffic controllers, and joint partners. It is the only Army system that interfaces directly with the U.S. Air Force Air Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System, enabling coordinated airspace requests and facilitating synchronization across Army and Joint operations.

The Integrated Mission Planning and Airspace Control Tools (IMPACT) initiative is a major software convergence effort under TAIS. IMPACT aims to provide interoperability with Army Mission Command, Joint, and Unified Action Partner (UAP) systems. Its objectives include enhancing situational awareness, reducing operational risks, and enabling more effective air-ground integration. IMPACT supports four of the Army's six modernization priorities: future vertical lift, long-range precision fires, the network, and air and missile defense.

IMPACT is closely tied to the National Military Strategy's emphasis on rapid capability integration and supports Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2), Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), Joint All Domain Operations (JADO), and Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).

A significant technical advancement within IMPACT is the integration of Air Space Total Awareness for Rapid Tactical Execution (ASTARTE) technology. ASTARTE leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to enable rapid synchronization of airspace planning and dynamic execution. This capability is intended to maximize airspace usage, increase freedom of maneuver, enhance safety, prevent fratricide, and support the deconfliction of fires and aviation operations in congested and complex environments, especially during Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO).

The Air Traffic Navigation Integration and Coordination System (ATNAVICS) is another key system supported by this budget line. ATNAVICS is a highly mobile radar system that provides air traffic services at Army airfields and landing sites, supporting both Army and Joint/Allied aircraft. The program is currently focused on upgrading the Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) system to maintain international airspace compatibility and improve the integration of flight information into a comprehensive air picture. These upgrades are essential for compliance with evolving international standards and for supporting the Army's modernization goals.

The program's acquisition strategy involves a mix of contract modifications, engineering service tasks, and new or follow-on contracts. There is a focus on leveraging agile software development practices, government-owned software factories, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes to deliver secure, resilient, and up-to-date capabilities.