The US Air Force has awarded Raytheon Intelligence & Space a new contract to upgrade two air traffic navigation, integration, and coordination systems (ATNAVICS).
The systems currently have a 25-nautical-mile primary surveillance radar range, compared to the latest ATNAVICS PSR range of 60-nautical-miles without increasing the system footprint.
The USAF ATNAVICS will leverage modernization and enhancements from US Army and Marine Corps variants to provide a system with improved ground controlled approach capability and technology. Like these variants, the Air Force variant will be autonomous and mobile to provide a complete tactical GCA system.
“ATNAVICS is the only battlefield-proven GCA system with a 60-nautical-mile range that is transportable in a single C-130,” said Denis Donohue, vice president, Communications and Airspace Management Systems for Raytheon Intelligence & Space. “This is a great example of multiple services harmonizing and using similar systems to improve interoperability and reduce logistics requirements. The Air Force will join the Army and Marine Corps as operators of this very capable air traffic control system.”
The USAF ATNAVICS will feature gallium nitride, or GaN, transmitter technology and will include an AIMS certified mode 5 secondary surveillance radar/identification friend or foe, as well as a precision approach radar built on active electronically scanned array technology.
