The Federal Radionavigation Plan

Abstract

The author will describe the Federal Radionavigation Plan which delineates policies and plans for Government-provided radionavigation services. The plan gives respective areas of authority and responsibility and provides a management structure by which the operating agencies will define requirements and meet them in a cost-effective manner. It replaces the DOT National Plan for Navigation, and those sections of the DOD Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Master Navigation Plan dealing with common-user systems. The Plan covers Federally-operated systems having a high degree of common use (either military/civil or between the various transportation modes). The systems considered are: LORAN-A; LORAN-C; OMEGA; VOR; VOR/DME; VORTAC; TACAN; ILS; TRANSIT; RADIOBEACONS; MLS; and NAVSTAR GPS. The goal is to select a suitable mix of these systems which can meet diverse user requirements for accuracy, reliability, coverage, operational utility, and cost; provide adequate capability for future growth; and minimize duplication of services. However, selection of an optimum mix to satisfy the users, while holding the number of systems and government and user costs to a minimum, involves complex operational, technical, institutional, international and economic trade offs. This Plan establishes a methodology for DOT and DOD to address these questions and arrived at an initial, optimum mix determination in the mid-80's.