Airservices Australia and the RAAF have reiterated their commitment to working together to deliver Australia's future air traffic management system.
Renewed optimism concerning the collaborative agreement between the two has emerged from last week’s Civil/Military Aviation Conference, where senior civil and military leaders from throughout the world explored plans for civil/military collaboration.
Speaking at the event, Airservices’ CEO Greg Russell, and Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, said the two organisations would continue to work together with a common goal of implementing a joint air traffic management system.
“What we have now in Australia is a unique opportunity in which both the military and civilian air traffic management systems are approaching their end of life,” Russell said. “This presents a generational opportunity to procure a common air traffic management platform for Australia.”
Russell added that the ATM harmonisation in Australia would be well supported by the transition to satellite-based technology already underway in Australian skies, and that this would ensure the air traffic system could cope with increasing complexity brought about by the ongoing and rapid evolutions in aircraft and avionics technology.
Airservices was also exploring opportunities to align infrastructure needs, asset management and future upgrade programs relating to air traffic management.
“Working together, our commitment is to successfully harmonise civil-military aviation to deliver a wide range of benefits, including greater airspace efficiency, joint training and greater industry capability,” Russell said.
Harmonisation activities between the two organisations was one of the initiatives set out in the government’s National Aviation Policy White Paper. In April 2010, Airservices and the RAAF signed a Joint Operational Concept to develop and implement harmonised civil and military air traffic management systems.
