Air Force Materiel Command is seeking information on capabilities that would allow air traffic controllers to work remotely. In a request for information issued Wednesday, AFMC said it wants industry help in the analysis of potential alternatives that “would provide a remote Air Traffic Control tower capability as a potential replacement for standard ‘brick and mortar’ towers.” The system would include a sensor suite with enhanced optical, infrared, motion, sound detection, and tracking capabilities that is connected to a separate, but secure and geographically close, ATC operations center. The request notes a smaller system could be forward deployed for military or natural disaster contingencies. Responses to the RFI are due by Sept. 30.
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.