ACP Working Group N – WP 11

5/11/2005

AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)

WORKING GROUP N (NETWORKING) – 5TH MEETING

Montréal (Canada), 9th May – 20th May, 2005

Proposed TCP/IP Protocol Development To ICAO Document 9705/AN956, Manual Of Technical Provisions For The Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN)

USA/FAA Position Paper

Presented By Andy Colón

Summary
This position paper presents the USA/FAA position regarding development and inclusion of the TCP/IP internetworking protocol suite into standards documentation, more specifically, in the form of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) – ICAO Annex 10 Vol. III, Part I, Chapter 3, Aeronautical Telecommunication Network and associated Technical Provisions in ICAO Doc 9705 – AN/956, Edition 3.

Development Of TCP/IP In ICAO Doc 9705 ACP WGN05 (Montréal, Canada, May 2005)

1.INTRODUCTION

This position paper presents the USA/FAA position regarding development and inclusion of the TCP/IP internetworking protocol suite into Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) standards documentation, more specifically, in the form of detailed standards in the Manual of Technical Provisions for the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network, ICAO Doc 9705 – AN/956. The ATN, in its original conception, adopted common interface services and protocols based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model. At the time of ATN conception and standards development OSI protocols were more formally specified and were the predominant networking technology of the time. However, in light of recent technology advancements and the proven performance of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite in the technological field, TCP/IP is now able to offer potential economic benefits and rapid implementation of new services in the aviation environment.

2.ASSESSMENT

It is the intent of a future FAA National Airspace System (NAS) architecture to make full use of existing networks so as to effectively make use of past network investments. This must be accomplished by providing a global Air Traffic Management (ATM) network capable of supporting seamless communications, including both fixed and mobile, for future Air-to-Ground (A-G) and Ground-to-Ground (G-G) applications spanning International boundaries and sub-networks. [See WGN04-WP28, Nov. 2004, “Development of TCP/IP Protocol For ATN”, for additional details.]

Inclusion of the TCP/IP internetworking protocol suite to ATN standards documentation supports both the strategic and technological visions of the FAA regarding the potential economic impact, commercial product availability and supportability benefits of a TCP/IP implemented network. Technologically, the worldwide acceptance of the Internet Protocol (IP) Suite as an internetworking protocol has led industry away from providing OSI-based commercial products.This, coupled with additional technical and non-technical mitigating issues, such as changes in the Air Traffic operational outlook, has led some to re-think the benefits of ISO/OSI-based implementations. As a result, various aviation technical organizations have had cause to review their planned implementation of the ISO/OSI-based protocols, which has also facilitated the current ICAO debate to include the TCP/IP Suite in standards documentation.

3.POSITION & CONCLUSIONS

•The FAA agrees to the development of IP based standards in the form of ICAO Doc 9705 Technical Provisions.

•The FAA position supports the inclusion of a standalone IP Suite in ICAO documentation format as a full native stack for both routers and applications.

•Additional investigation, development and assessment are required regarding an ATN mobility solution. Therefore, the FAA position regarding inclusion of the TCP/IP protocol suite in SARPS includes the Ground-to-Ground component of the ATN only.

The FAA is eager to work within ICAO to address the inclusion of the TCP/IP Suite in SARPs, as well as the discussion and resolution of this issue. Having stated and discussed the USA/FAA position regarding IP-based standards documentation above, the FAA is committed to supporting the final decision determined within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Navigation Commission (ANC).

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