Standardized system for military air traffic control and surveillance

Aerospace Standardized sSystem for Military Air Traffic Control and Surveillance

2025-10-22 A guest post by RTI | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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Military air traffic control plays an important role not only in Germany. However, it is a highly complex area where various data are integrated. Airbus Defence and Space has developed a standardized and scalable system for military air traffic control and surveillance, relying on RTI Connext Professional.

Airbus Defence and Space, together with RTI, has developed a standardized and scalable system for military air traffic control and surveillance.(Image: freely licensed on Pixabay) — Airbus Defence and Space, together with RTI, has developed a standardized and scalable system for military air traffic control and surveillance.
(Image: freely licensed on Pixabay)

Military air traffic control in NATO states such as Germany is a highly complex field and crucial for security, yet characterized by continuously growing technical requirements. To create a unified picture of the airspace across civilian and military systems, various data from networks such as Link 16 (STANAG 5516) or high-frequency radar systems must be integrated in real time. Current industry regulations and safety standards must always be considered, potentially including dynamic safety requirements in the future, similar to the EUROCAE ED 153 standard in civilian air traffic control.

Airbus Defence and Space has taken on this challenge and developed a standardized and scalable system for military air traffic control and surveillance with RTI Connext Professional. The control and reporting center enables real-time connectivity, allowing targets to be detected, tracked, and identified in real time. It also meets the requirements of various NATO countries, with multi-level security architectures, zero-trust cybersecurity architectures, microservices architectures, and the integration of cloud technologies playing a central role. The data-centric architecture and multicast capabilities of RTI Connext enable the high system flexibility and scalability necessary for the real-time performance of Fortion 1SkyControl.

Professional communication infrastructure

In the development of secure and scalable surveillance systems for military air traffic control, Airbus Defence and Space relies on RTI Connext Professional, a software framework based on the DDS standard. The data-centric structure simplifies development and enhances modularity and interoperability for real-time applications. Data from various sources is available in real time and is forwarded to the respective applications as needed. Airbus Defence and Space is already using Connext Professional as the communication infrastructure for the "Fortion 1SkyControl" program, launched in 2023, which supports airspace surveillance with a high degree of automation. Thanks to native support for UDP multicast, data can be distributed simultaneously to numerous workstations. This enables, among other things:

Multi-sensor tracking for plot and jam strobe data from up to 100 live and simulated radar sensors simultaneously with high tracking accuracy
Automatic track correlation for over 25 different types of sources and processing
Automatic correlation of over 6,000 flight plans
Automatic identification according to NATO air command regulations

The products from Connext have the safety certification DO-178C/ED-12C DAL A. This allows systems to seamlessly transition to numerous security options and implement new developments of the DDS Security standard, designed for zero-trust and multi-level security architectures. The new versions can also operate in microservices architectures, such as Kubernetes, and be easily integrated into cloud infrastructures.

Overview of the communication infrastructure of RTI Connext Professional: The RTI Connext Databus enables seamless real-time data transmission.(Image: RTI) — Overview of the communication infrastructure of RTI Connext Professional: The RTI Connext Databus enables seamless real-time data transmission.
(Image: RTI)

Fortion 1SkyControl for airspace surveillance

Fortion 1SkyControl is the result of years of development in airspace surveillance and has now been put into operation by the German Air Force. Thanks to its real-time capability, the system can monitor the airspace with high speed and accuracy, identify flight units, and initiate countermeasures. Through its DDS-compliant functions, devices and systems can communicate with each other regardless of transport protocols and network types. For non-DDS-compliant devices or data silos, Fortion 1SkyControl ensures the secure exchange of critical data between components. With its data-centric design, Connext Professional connects modern applications with older legacy software, even without a direct DDS connection. The new interfaces reduce processing times, enhance performance, and lower development effort. The data model can be flexibly defined using the interface definition language, simplifying system architecture and enabling adaptation to future requirements. Tools like the RTI Administration Console contribute to faster development of Fortion 1SkyControl's airspace surveillance functions. The Fortion product line supports air forces in conducting highly coordinated multi-domain operations, particularly in air combat management. The system can also be adapted to the requirements of other NATO countries and provides a solution for reliable military air traffic control and air surveillance.

Airbus Defence and Space

In addition to manufacturing aircraft, Airbus has a Defence and Space division that offers a comprehensive C5ISR portfolio (Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and related services. This provides a comprehensive situational picture across multiple domains. The mission of this division is to support decision-makers at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels in land, sea, and air environments.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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Airbus Defence and Space has been involved in the integration and maintenance of military air traffic control and weapon systems for the German Air Force for 20 years. Its products include Fortion 1SkyControl, a proven software suite for air combat management. (se)