2024 AGENDA

Mode N – Mode Navigation – is a new concept for a ground-based system to provide a navigation service for civil and military aviation jointly developed by German Air Navigation Service Provider DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German military Technical Center for Aircraft and Aeronautical Equipment (WTD61), and the engineering partner Interdisciplinary Engineering Consultants Madritsch (IECM). Mode N is a terrestrial system based on secondary surveillance radar signal formats that provides an Alternative Positioning, Navigation and Timing (APNT) capability to backup global navigation satellite systems. Through its architecture it is also capable to provide SUR and IDENT functionalities for manned and unmanned systems. Mode N will deliver maximum spectrum efficiency combined with backward compatibility with legacy systems. The presentation provides a description of the motivations to develop Mode N, the system concept and expected benefits. It further addresses the involvement of international partners for a joint way forward.