Secure aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS)

With the increase in automation, airlines, military, and civil aviation organizations are relying on ACARS for air traffic and operational control. This paper proposes specific techniques to relieve ACARS frequency saturation using standard data compression algorithm. Additional solutions are provided to encrypt the ACARS protocol header without requiring any changes to the legacy ACARS equipment. The proposed Secure ACARS solutions will satisfy customer needs, improve the safety and reliability of the ACARS system and extend the usability of ACARS by conserving RF resources.