Global Air Traffic Management (GATM)

Mission — Global Access Architecture source

This program element funds the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Aerospace Management Systems Division (AMSD), the designated Air Force (AF) Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) and Navigation Safety Center of Excellence (COE). The COE provides centralized avionics expertise to Headquarters Air Force, AF Major Commands (MAJCOM), and weapon system program offices. This funding enables the COE to participate, influence, and vote in government and industry technical forums as well as U.S. and international civil aviation standards bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), the DoD Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) and others. These organizations are responsible for the development and assessment of international civil aviation standards for safe and efficient flight operations in worldwide airspace. This centralized CNS/ATM technical expertise capability supports all MAJCOMs and over 30 AF weapon system program offices. The COE develops strategies to update and implement CNS/ATM capability requirements on AF weapon systems, as well as tailors the Generic Performance Matrix (GPM) to each airframe's unique avionics architecture and operational mission. Efforts include but are not limited to performance assessment, test support, performance monitoring, interoperability testing, cybersecurity assessments, and the development of CNS/ATM capabilities for unmanned platforms. Currently, the COE supports all AF System Program Office work to modernize interfaces that support GPS M-Code, ARC-210 replacements, SATCOM upgrades, and performance based navigation. The COE performs periodic and event driven audits of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF). This electronic navigation database contains critical safety of flight information used by the majority of DoD flight crews to fly Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) procedures, safely navigate airways and fly Instrument Approach Procedures (IAPs) to civil and military airfields worldwide. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.590 million for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative." This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, and 0606398F. In FY 2024 $0.000 million was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY 2025 $0.000 million is forecast for civilian pay expenses in this program element. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)