A systems perspective on current ATC trends

The air traffic control system is about to undergo a profound transformation from a ground-based, centralized, loosely integrated system to a space-based, decentralized, tightly integrated system-of-systems. This article examines this transformation from a systems perspective. The trade-offs between centralized and decentralized architectures are identified, the enabling technologies are discussed in detail, and the political challenges of building such a system are examined. The article concludes with some strategies for coping with the political challenges of building a complex system-of-systems.