Efficient datalink security in a bandwidth-limited mobile environment - an overview of the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN) security concept

When fully implemented, the global ATN will span organizational and international boundaries and facilitate implementation of air traffic management applications that improve communication reliability and maximize airspace utilization. To counter potential threats to these critical communications, the ATN specifies requirements for an integrated security solution. As described in this paper, the ATN security solution is based on an underlying open-system framework that supports cryptographic optimization techniques targeted to meet the specific challenges of the aeronautical communications environment. Application of this security solution provides the security services necessary to protect ATN communications while minimizing security overhead exchanged via the bandwidth-limited air-ground data link.