US aerospace update

will play a major role in US plans to make air transportation systems more efficient, safe, environmentally friendly and capable of handling increased traffic.

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (Nextgen) is the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plan to modernise the National Airspace System (NAS) by 2025.

Raytheon has been awarded a seven-month contract to study the Nextgen integrated communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) architecture and determine the NAS’s needs for 2018 to 2025.

‘The next generation of airspace management must support a broad array of capabilities - from classic aircraft with minimal automation to highly integrated, multi-sensor aircraft, including unmanned aerial systems,’ said Andy Zogg, Raytheon vice-president for Command and Control Systems.

‘Our study will identify the alternative CNS architecture needed to meet growing capacity, while providing the efficiencies necessary to ensure safe operations.’

The study will analyse integrated communications, navigation and surveillance interfaces to operator flight planning systems, aircraft capabilities, avionics functions and FAA automation systems.

The $2.3m contract was awarded by the Nextgen Institute, a venture between the National Center for Advanced Technologies and the FAA.

The Raytheon-led team includes Rockwell Collins, ARINC, Aviation Management Associates and Thales.