ATC ground communications system optimization techniques

The authors address the optimization of three major components of the US Federal Aviation Administration´s (FAA´s) hybrid leased/owned ground communications system supporting air traffic control (ATC). The optimizations are performed with respect to cost, performance, and reliability. First, optimization of the radio communications link (RCL) backbone microwave transmission system is discussed. A heuristic optimization procedure that minimizes cost subject to capital cost and availability constraints is presented. Second, two levels of user access network (UAN) optimization are discussed. The first level is optimization of the selection of RCL sites to open as drop-and-insert points for access by private leased-line UANs. The second level is optimization of the selection of transmission media used for implementing UANs. A dynamic programming method is presented for identifying FAA facilities where low-density microwave UANs are cost-effective. Third, optimization of the National Airspace Data Interchange Network (NADIN) II packet data switching system is discussed. Because this network will use the FAA-owned RCL transmission resources, the primary measures for optimization are performance and reliability instead of cost. Two methods are presented for this problem: an analytic method and a simulation method