 Wide Area System Installed in the North Sea Source: CIA |
FAIRFAX, Va. - Era's wide area multilateration (WAM) solution for the Dutch air navigation service provider (ANSP) Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland (LVNL) has been installed in the Netherlands North Sea area. Specifically, Era installed an MSS (MLAT) multilateration and ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) system. Era is a subsidiary of SRA International.
ADS-B-equipped aircraft broadcast their positions once per second using global positioning satellite technology. Data is transmitted to dedicated ground receivers as well as other ADS-B-equipped aircraft via dedicated radio datalinks. According to SRA, "MLAT is the process of locating aircraft based on the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of its transponder signal to three or more strategically placed receiver stations."
The MSS surveillance sensors have been installed both on- and offshore to provide low-level and over-flight surveillance coverage for the Dutch portion of the North Sea. The system covers an area spanning roughly 350 km by 500 km (217.5 mi by 310.7mi), with all data fusion being performed by LVNL at the Schiphol Air Traffic Control Center
The equipment tracks Mode S and ADS-B-equipped aircraft traveling to the offshore platforms as well as overflights within the coverage area. MSS provides situational awareness and flight safety to LVNL and properly equipped aircraft. The hardware works at both low and high altitudes and in adverse weather conditions.
In January, the system successfully passed functional performance tests and provided live data to LVNL.
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