APG15-5/INP-53
/ ASIA-PACIFIC TELECOMMUNITYThe 5thMeeting of the APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-15 (APG15-5) / Document
APG15-5/INP-53
27 July – 1August2015, Seoul, Republic of Korea / 20July 2015
Australia
VIEWs and proposals on GLOBAL FLIGHT TRACKING FOR
CIVIL AVIATION
Global Flight Tracking for Civil Aviation:
to include in its agenda, as a matter of urgency, the consideration of global flight tracking, including, if appropriate, and consistent with ITU practices, various aspects of the matter, taking into account ITU-R studies, in accordance withResolution 185 (Busan, 2014)
1. Background
The disappearance of flight MH370 highlighted concerns about the timeliness and availability of radiocommunications that track or communicate with civilian aircraft, particularly over oceanic and remote regions. The lack of timely notification and sufficiently accurate position of an aircraft severely hampers search and rescue (SAR) and accident investigation. Global flight tracking for civil aviation (GFT) is envisaged to provide timely knowledge of aircraft position in accordance with the international standards developed by ICAO. There are currently two satellite-based systems considered suitable for GFT in remote and oceanic regions:
Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract (ADS-C) ADS-C isavailable on aircraft fitted with Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS 1/A) andprovides reports from aircraft based on communications from air traffic control. FANS 1/A messages can be transmitted over a range of communications bearers, including satellite for oceanic coverage but is currently limited to the geographic coverage extent from geostationary orbit (approx. ±75 degrees latitude).
Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) ADS-B isavailable on aircraft fitted with an appropriate Mode S transponder andprovides reports from aircraft of location and other data, operating in the frequency range 1087.71092.3MHz.
ICAO held a special meeting on GFT in May 2014, achieving consensus among Member States and the international air transport industry sector on the near-term priority to track airline flights, no matter their global location or destination. ICAO called for the ITU ‘at the earliest opportunity to provide the necessary spectrum allocations as emerging aviation needs are identified’. Two groups were established:
An ICAO Ad hoc Working Group on Aircraft Tracking which developed a concept of operations to support future development of a Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS).
An industry-led Aircraft Tracking Task Force (ATTF) that identified near-term capabilities for normal flight tracking using existing technologies.
At the May 2014 session of ITU Council, the issue of satellite ADS-B and the possibility of considering a necessary allocation at WRC-15 was discussed, but it was concluded that ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-14), in Busan, South Korea, in October 2014, was the only body with authority to amend the WRC-15 agenda. Subsequently, there were a number of proposals to PP-14 from regional groups to direct WRC-15 to consider satellite ADS-B and other GFT issues. PP-14 adopted Resolution 185 (Busan, 2014) instructing the WRC-15 to consider ‘Global Flight Tracking for Civil Aviation’.The Director, BR tasked WP 4C and WP 5B to develop a Report on GFT, including any guidance on possible courses of action to be taken by WRC-15.
The ICAO Second High-level Safety Conference 2015 (HLSC 2015) met in February 2015 noting the ATTF Report which detailed existing technologies such as ADS-C which are already installed on aircraft and which could be used to perform GFT. This range of technologies and related services will enable operators to take a performance-based approach when implementing aircraft tracking capabilities. The ATTF report contained a set of performance-based criteria that could be used to establish a baseline level of aircraft tracking capability. Additionally, the report also identified future technologies that could support flight tracking in oceanic and remote airspace such as satellite-based ADS-B. In this regard, the conference supported that ICAO should encourage States and the ITU to discuss allocation requirements at WRC-15 to provide the necessary frequency spectrum allocations to enable global air traffic services (ATS) surveillance.
At CPM15-2 there was no agreement on how to address the GFT issue for WRC-15. The Final CPM Report to WRC-15 includes text in the Introduction (section I.4) noting Resolution 185 (Busan, 2014), and also highlighting that an Annex was added to the CPM Report reflecting the discussion on GFT. This Annex details two views (procedural) on how CPM contributions on GFT should be treated by CPM15-2, including an Appendix that provides opinions of CPM contributors on how to address GFT.
Working Party 5B held an extraordinary meeting in May 2015 exclusively onGFT and continuing the development of the working document toward a preliminary draft new (WDPDN) Report ITU-R M.[ADS-B] (Document 5B/801 Annex 3)). At this meeting a preliminary Note to the Director, BR was drafted (Document 5B/801 (Annex 1)) in response to his request in Document 5B/758. Development of a WDPDN Report ITU-R M.[FLIGHT TRACKING] (Document 5B/801 (Annex 2)) commenced focusing on the requirement in Resolution 185 (Busan, 2014), and work on the development of the WDPDN Report ITU-R M.[ADS-B] was progressed.
Working Party 4C in June 2015 continued work on a preliminary draft new Report
ITU-R M.[ADS-MSS] describing the use of the mobile-satellite service to provide Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) and ‘MSS-satellite-retransmitted Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)’. The outcome of this work was liaised to WP5B, as well as an answer to a specific request concerning the receiving temperature of ADS-B satellite receivers (Document 5B/812).
A Note to the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau was also sent to inform him of the outcome of studies in Working Party 4C in relation to Resolution 185 (Busan, 2014) (Document 4C/345 Annex 6). This Note was brought to the attention of WP 5B by the Chairman of Working Party 4C (Document 5B/823).
Working Party 5B met again in Bucharest 6-17 July 15. It continued work on the two documents mentioned above,Document 5B/801 (Annex 1), Document 5B/801 (Annex 2) andon the development of the preliminary draft new Report ITU-R M.[ADS-B] Report ITU-R M.[ADS-B].
2. Views
Australia supports consideration of global flight tracking for civil aviation in accordance with ITU Plenipotentiary Resolution 185 (Busan, 2014) at WRC-15.
As a means to address this issue, Australia supports an aeronautical mobile-satellite (route) service (Earth-to-space) allocation in the frequency range 1087.7-1092.3 MHz conditional on co-channel and adjacent channel compatibility with ICAO and non-ICAO systems being demonstrated.
If co-channel and adjacent channel compatibility cannot be demonstrated, Australia would consider support for an allocation to the aeronautical mobile-satellite (route) service (Earth-to-space), with the condition that this allocation cannot claim protection from aeronautical radionavigation service (ARNS) systems operating in the frequency range 960-1215 MHz. Support for this approach is subject to satisfactorily meeting the regulatory requirements of ICAO.
If the latter approach does not have ICAO endorsement, Australia would support a secondary allocation to the mobile-satellite service (Earth-to-space) in the frequency range 1087.7-1092.3 MHz as an interim measure to allow further consideration by WRC-19.
Australia supports a WRC-19 agenda item to consider additional and ongoing regulatory and allocation issues necessary to further refine the issue of global flight tracking for civil aviation. This may include consideration of regulatory and possible allocation issues in association with Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS).
3. Proposals
Option 1
ARTICLE 5
Frequency allocations
Section IV – Table of Frequency Allocations
MODAUS/A25/1
960-1164 MHz
Allocation to servicesRegion 1 / Region 2 / Region 3
960-1164AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) 5.327A
AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION 5.328
ADD 5.AAA
ADDAUS/A25/2
5.AAAThe frequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz is also allocated to the aeronautical mobile-satellite (R) service (Earthtospace) on a primary basis for the space station reception of emissions from aircraft stations that operate in accordance with recognised international aeronautical standards. [Such space stations are subject to ITU-R satellite filing procedures].
Reasons: To facilitate Global Flight tracking for civilian aviation in the frequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz as an aeronautical mobile-satellite (R) service (Earthtospace) on a primary basis.
Option 2
Option 2 applies shouldOption 1 not be successful at WRC-15.
ARTICLE 5
Frequency allocations
Section IV – Table of Frequency Allocations
MODAUS/A25/3
960-1164 MHz
Allocation to servicesRegion 1 / Region 2 / Region 3
960-1164AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) 5.327A
AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION 5.328
ADD 5.BBB
ADDAUS/A25/4
5.BBBThe frequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz is also allocated to the aeronautical mobile-satellite (R) service (Earthtospace) on a primary basis for the space station reception of emissions from aircraft stations that operate in accordance with recognised international aeronautical standards. Such space stations [are subject to ITU-R satellite filing procedures and] shall not claim protection from stations operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations, including those of the ARNS.
Reasons: To facilitate Global Flight tracking for civilian aviation in the frequency bandfrequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz is also allocated to the aeronautical mobile-satellite (R) service (Earthtospace) on a primary basis while not claiming protection from stations operating in accordance with the Radio Regulations, including those of the ARNS.
Option 3
Option 3 applies should Option 1 and 2 not be successful at WRC-15.
ARTICLE 5
Frequency allocations
Section IV – Table of Frequency Allocations
MODAUS/A25/5
960-1164 MHz
Allocation to servicesRegion 1 / Region 2 / Region 3
960-1164AERONAUTICAL MOBILE (R) 5.327A
AERONAUTICAL RADIONAVIGATION 5.328
ADD 5.CCC
ADDAUS/A25/6
5.CCCThe frequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz is also allocated to the mobile-satellite service (Earth-to-space) on a secondary basis for the space station reception of emissions from aircraft stations that operate in accordance with recognised international aeronautical standards. [Such space stations are subject to ITU-R satellite filing procedures].
Reasons:To facilitate Global Flight Tracking for civilian aviation in the frequency bandfrequency band 1087.7–1092.3 MHz allocated on a secondary receive only basis.
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