Major EU funding to boost resilience and capacity of air-ground communication systems

AMEA is the name of the latest Digital Sky Demonstrator to receive funding to the tune of EUR 26.9 million from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), it was announced on 3 July. Over the next three years, the large-scale Demonstrator will trial next-generation air-to-ground communications technologies in European airspace.

Digital Sky Demonstrators form a central pillar of the SESAR innovation pipeline, bridging the gap between research and industrial deployment. By testing solutions in live operational environments, demonstrators like AMEA help deliver the Digital European Sky, in support of the EU's Green Deal, Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and Europe Fit for the Digital Age.

AMEA is short for Air-Ground Multi-Link Evolution and Advancement. Building on the achievements of the earlier ESMA Demonstrator, AMEA will test the integration of multiple communications technologies-such as satellite and terrestrial links-into aircraft and ground systems to improve resilience, efficiency, and environmental performance in air traffic services.

Specifically, the Demonstrator will focus on combining next-generation satellite communications (SATCOM services) with terrestrial systems like VDL Mode 2 (a type of radio datalink) in a so-called ATN-OSI configuration, while also implementing a secure internet-based version of this network, known as ATN-IPS. Together, these upgrades are designed to boost performance, increase resilience and handle much higher data volumes than today's systems.

Through two large-scale, complementary demonstrations, the project will:

• Extend multilink capabilities (i.e. the ability to use multiple communication channels simultaneously) in both aircraft avionics and ATM ground systems.
• Measure and analyse performance and system resilience in high-data scenarios.
• Validate the performance of secure next-generation ATN-IPS networks.
• Conduct a three-year flight campaign using commercial aircraft operated by partner airlines.

The Demonstrator will apply or use air traffic services (ATS) B1 and B2 services during normal flight operations. These services provide enhanced digital communications between pilots and controllers, reducing radio congestion and improving overall efficiency. The results will show real-world evidence to support the deployment of SESAR solution #109 on Air Traffic Services datalink using SatCom Class B, which promotes the use of SatCom Class B as part of Europe's future air traffic datalink infrastructure..

The AMEA consortium includes leading industry and operational stakeholders: Collins Aerospace (Coordinator), Airbus, Air France, Airtel, Boeing, DFS, DSNA, ENAIRE, ESSP, EUROCONTROL, Frequentis, Honeywell, NATS, LVNL, Obizco, and SITA.

The Demonstrator was selected following a call issued in September 2024 by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). AMEA is part of a package of 94 transport initiatives selected by the European Commission to receive a total of EUR 2.8 billion in support, aiming to modernise and green Europe's transport network.

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