1. Next Generation Air/Ground Communications (NEXCOM)
Briefing for
Seminar on Implementation of Data Link and SATCOM Communications
17-19 November 2003
Bangkok, Thailand
Barbara Cassidy
Federal Aviation Administration
Integrated Product Team for Communications (AND-300)

2. Overview
U.S. National Airspace System Air/Ground Communications Infrastructure
Spectrum Needs
NEXCOM Acquisition
What it includes
Why it is needed
Acquisition Program Elements
Multimode Digital Radio
Ground System Segment
Avionics Development
System Demonstrations
Notional Transition to NEXCOM
Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications Status

3. National Airspace System Air/Ground Communications Infrastructure
720 BUEC’s Back up Emergency Communications
346 Airport Towers
1422 RTR’s Remote Transmitter Receiver
793 RCAG’s Remote Communications Air/Ground
175 TRACON’s Terminal Radar Approach Control
VHF and UHF ATC bands
Approximately 11,000 VHF assignments
Approximately 40,000 VHF and 10,000 UHF TX, RX & TCVRs
Dedicated networks for each operational environment
Limited restoral capabilities
Limited remote maintenance capability
21 ARTCC’s & 3 CERAP’s Air Route Traffic Control Center, Combined Center Radar Approach Control
1854 RCO’s Remote Communications Outlet
61 AFSSs, 14 FSSs Automated Flight Service Stations, Flight Service Stations

4. National Airspace System Air/Ground Communications Spectrum Needs Projection
Projected High Demand:
190 Circuits per year
Long term historical trend
2200
Projected
Circuit
Supply/
Risk
1500
1000
2015
2021
2007
2013
2010
Projected Low Demand
80 Circuits per year FAA Baselined Program Plans
Initiating study to determine means/costs of extending to 2015

5. What is NEXCOM?
FAA’s program to modernize and improve VHF air/ground communications in the National Airspace System (NAS)
Fundamental change from analog to digital technology
VHF Digital Link Mode 3 (VDL-3)
Time Division Multiple Access Technology
Maintains current 25 kHz frequency separation, but
Provides 4 non-interfering channels on 1 frequency
All channels suitable for voice or data
Operates in the MHz band allocated for Air Traffic use
Impacts both ground and airborne elements of the NAS

6. Why NEXCOM? Capacity  Up to 4x Increase in Channels
Spectrum Depletion Limits NAS Expansion
Efficiency  Provides for Data Link
Establishes a High Integrity Data Path
Broadcast and two-way datalink to meet
future Concept of Operations
Safety  Digital System Allows Advanced Capabilities
Eliminates “Step On” (anti-blocking; urgent downlink)
Provides Stuck Microphone Resolution
Infrastructure Sustainment
Average age 25+ years for ground radio equipment

7. NEXCOM Acquisition Program Elements
MDR
Radio
Interface
Unit
Ground
Network
Multimode Digital Radio (MDR)
Ground System
(RPDE and FSD)*
Analog & Digital modes in one radio
* Rapid Preliminary Development Effort and Full Scale Development
Certified Avionics Development
Demo/Stakeholder Outreach
Analog & digital voice and data in a single cockpit radio
Show NEXCOM system architecture and commercial avionics viability

8. NEXCOM Multimode Digital Radio (MDR)
Compatible with today’s radios
Double Side Band-AM 25 kHz
8.33 kHz
VDL Mode3
Interfaces to the future NEXCOM Ground System
Replaces current NAS ITT & Motorola CM200 radios
Initial use is replacement of aging radio infrastructure
Contract Awarded July 2001 to ITT
Potential procurement of 37,600 radios
Initial Operation Capability mid-2004
First use in 25 kHz analog mode (infrastructure replacement function)
Transparent to users

9. NEXCOM Ground System Development
VHF T/R
Radio
Interface
Unit
Ground
Network
Radio Interface Unit (RIU)
Provides remote site capability for digital communications
Ground Network Interface (GNI)
Provides connectivity for voice switches
Two-Phase Development
Rapid Preliminary Development Effort (RPDE) (Mar 2002-Dec 2004)
ITT Corp and Harris selected as vendors in Feb 2003
Full Scale Development Program (FSDP) (Jan 2005-Dec 2007)
Only RPDE vendors compete
Equipment available for deployment beginning 2008
Initial use as infrastructure replacement of current Radio Control Equipment (RCE)

10. NEXCOM Avionics Development
Components
Multimode VHF radio
Radio Control Panel
Communications Management Unit (optional)
FAA/Manufacturer Agreements
Rockwell Collins, Honeywell – air carriers (December 2001)
Avidyne – general aviation (December 2001)
Rockwell Collins – business jets (August 2003)
Agreements include cost sharing and payable events
Pre-production models used in System Demonstration II (November 2003)
Certified avionics commercially available in 2005

11. NEXCOM Near-Term Acquisition Schedule
FY 03
FY04
ACTIVITY
MDR
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Production Acceptance Testing
09/03
Flight Coverage Testing
10/03
02/04
Production Equipment Deployment
Ground System
RPDE Contract Awards
02/03
System Requirements Review
05/03
System Design Review
11/03
Avionics
Draft VDL Mode 3 Characteristics
submitted to AEEC
09/03
Interoperability Testing
06/03
08/03
Notice of Availability TSO
03/04
System Demo II
11/03

12. NEXCOM System Demonstrations
Series of three demonstrations
Demo I, II at FAA Tech Center
Demo III at location to be determined
Objectives
Oct 2002: VDL Mode 3 Technology viability
Nov 2003: NEXCOM Avionics & System Architecture Interoperability
Vendors provide pre-production avionics
Oct 2004: Operational Suitability
Support certification of commercial avionics

13. System Demonstration II
Culmination of Interoperability Testing Activities
Demonstrated the NEXCOM Avionics:
Commercial Viability
Affordability
Availability
Held November 5th and 6th, ,2003
William J Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ

14. National Airspace System Notional Transition to Digital Communications
Analog Voice, 25 KHz
Initial Datalink (VDL-2)
Full Operational Evaluation & Exercise of Digital Voice and Datalink (VDL-3)
Next 5 years
Circa 2013
Maintain Terminal Analog Voice
Implement VDL-3 Digital Voice
Expand Datalink VDL-2 Applications
Circa 2015
Expand Enroute Digital Voice (VDL-3)
Initiate Terminal Digital Voice (VDL-3)
Increase Datalink Capacity & Capability (VDL-2 & VDL-3)
Circa 2018
Expand Digital Voice (VDL-3) to all domains
Expand Datalink Capacity in all domains and all applications (VDL-2 & VDL-3)

15. Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications Status
Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC)
Build-1A Project being reworked
User equipage too slow
Out of sync with En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM)
Air Route Traffic Control Center automation program
CPDLC deployment ahead of ERAM would have resulted in need to re-host CPDLC into ERAM
Miami operational evaluation continues
In daily use by controllers and pilots
Continuing role as operational test bed
Long term plans are being developed
FAA remains committed to ATC Data Communications

16. Visit the FAA’s NEXCOM website:

17. Back Up Slides

18. Honeywell – VDL Avionics
Test Pallet Configuration
One VHF Digital Radio (VDR)
One Radio Tuning Panel (RTP)
One Communications Management Unit (CMU) Emulator
Ancillary Equipment (Breakout Panels, etc.)
Subnetwork - Uncompressed Connectionless Network Protocol (CLNP)
Significant Accomplishments
Analog & Digital Voice Transmission & Reception
4V, 3V, and 2V2D Configurations
Antiblocking
Transmitter Timeout
Next Channel Uplink
Two User Groups On Same Frequency (Air-to-Air Testing)
Timing State 1 (TS1), Timing State 2 (TS2), & Timing State 3 (TS3)
Controller Override
Service Level Status
Integrated Voice and Data

19. Rockwell Collins – VDL Avionics
Test Pallet Configuration
Two VHF Digital Radios (VDR)
Two Radio Tuning Panels (RTP)
One Communications Management Unit (CMU)
One Control Display Unit (CDU)
Ancillary Equipment (Speakers, Data Trac Recorder, etc.)
Subnetwork - Raw 8208 (Packet Layer Protocol)
Significant Accomplishments
4V, 3V, and 2V2D Configurations
Analog & Digital (VDL Mode 3) Voice Transmission & Reception Verified
Controller Override
Next Channel Uplink
Antiblocking
Urgent Downlink Request
Two User Groups On Same Frequency
Service Level Status
TS1, TS2, TS3
Stuck Microphone Resolution
Integrated Voice and Data
CPDLC Data Transfer

20. Avidyne – VDL Avionics Test Pallet Configuration
One VHF Digital Radio (VDR)
Laptop Casing (Shock Mount)
Diagnostics Laptop
Ancillary Equipment (Speakers, power strips, etc)
Subnetwork - Compressed CLNP
Significant Accomplishments
4V, 3V, and 2V2D Configurations
Analog & Digital Voice Transmission & Reception Verified
Two User Groups On Same Frequency
Next Channel Uplink
Urgent Downlink Request
Controller Override
Antiblocking
Transmit Status
Stuck Microphone Resolution
TS1, TS2, TS3
Integrated Voice and Data

21. NEXCOM Principles of Operations -
NEXCOM History
RTCA
initiated
SC-172 to
develop
solution; VDL
MASP started
RTCA & ICAO
recommended
future A/G
communication
system be
TDMA VDL-3
FAA/MITRE
VDL-3
radio prototype
tested
ICAO/JCAB/
EuroControl/UK/
FRG/FAA
complete
VDL-3 SARPs
validation
NEXCOM
Aviation
Rulemaking
Committee
(NARC)
Report
1991
1994
1997
1999
2001
1990
1993
1995
1998
2000
2002
DOT/FAA
approved
the Mission
Needs
Statement
for NEXCOM
ICAO AMCP
recommends
approval of
VDL-3
RTCA
publishes
NEXCOM Principles of Operations -
VDL-3 Specific
ICAO
identified
VHF
congestion
problem
RTCA/AEEC
selected
technical
characteristics
for
VDL2/3
Investment
Analysis
completed,
VDL-3 selected
as FAA solution
FAA JRC
approves new
NEXCOM VDL-3
Program
Baseline
ICAO
COM/OPS/DIV
Meeting
approved VDL-3
for future
communications

22. Acronyms