Internet protocol suite for safety services: Progress toward a validated standard

Current regional implementations and deployments of aircraft-to-ground safety of flight data communications are based on existing, aviation-unique Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) communication protocols. While regional objectives are being met, Air Traffic Management stakeholders recognize the benefits of enhancing the communications infrastructure to support emerging advanced services while striving towards global data communications harmonization and interoperability. To support that objective, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is specifying a new network infrastructure for safety services based on the Internet Protocol Suite (IPS). IPS will leverage commercial Internet Protocol (IP) technologies, profiled and tailored to meet the challenging requirements of aeronautical safety services.