ARKONA

ARKONA (ACCS) (German: ARKONA (FüWES)) is an Air Command and Control System of the German Air Force.

Definition

According to

Recognized Air Picture (RAP) System of the former National People's Army (NVA) operated by the Air Forces of the National People's Army. After the German reunification in 1990, it was adapted to NATO standards, developed to an ACCS, and integrated to the Bundeswehr / German Air Force

.

Original NVA designation: German: ARKONA - Automatisierte Radar Kontroll- und Navigationsanlage.

History

The procurement product ARKONA was developed, introduced and operated by order of the

St. Petersburg. According to its own understanding, with the final software release the NVA was equipped with a co-primary ACCS which was independent from the Russian system ALMAS at that time. As to Confidence and Availability

, ARKONA did have advantages in comparison to ALMAS.

Remark: Original designation (ru

Air Defence

ARKONA advantages

In spite of some compatibility problems to the

Integrated NATO Air Defense System

(ARKONA did not have full backup capability as to weapons control and operations), the basic ideas have been worth to be preserved. The general positive assessment of the ARKONA IT-Architecture initiated the final decision to transfer ARKONA to the Bundeswehr.

Take-over and utilisation in the Bundeswehr

After ARKONA was taken over by the Bundeswehr, the rework of the system documentation (including the IT-Security Concept) had to be provided as this is the case with any regular German procurement product. Subsequently, that particular product had to be upgraded to a fully compatible and interoperable NATO ACCS. Since that time, it has been embedded into the organisational structure of the German Air Force. In the time to come, the operational utilisation of ARKONA took place mainly in stationary CRC, in deployable engagements, and by so-called third-party users with the agreement of the responsible in-service support manager.

Functionality today

ARKONA is a self-supporting System with interfaces to other IT-Architectures. Internally, the system receives

ADMAR 2000 and in the time to come by CIMACT

.

Features

Compatibility to The NATO Data link standards Link 1 and interoperability to the NASTO Airde Defence

Maximal upper limit of targets to be processed = 3,000 Flight targets (Tracks)

Direct connection of up to 255 sensors

Sensor data reception via the military RADAR Data Network (MilRADNET) and the RDNAT of the Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS)
Conversion of any proprietary RADAR data format to the
ASTERIX
data standard
Link 1 data exchange wit up to 16 Air Defence Control Centres
Data communication via Interim
JTIDS Message Specification/Standard with AWACS

LAN data communication via TCT/IP and UDP/IPLAN

Remark:
ARKONA processes the ASTERIX categories CAT001, 002, 034 and 048, available via the civil DFS RADNAR.

Hardware Software

ARKONA runs on

PCs are recommended. The data providing IT is thought to be on COTS as well. The operating system is Microsoft. Software engineering, - maintenance, and - change is executed by the GAF

C3 Systems Support Centre (GAF C3 SSC) in Erndtebrück. The previous advantages (based on MS Windows and COTS hardware) changed end of the 1990th more and more into the oboist. Windows became permanently more complex, the hardware configuration had to be changed more frequently, and last but not least the latent IT-security risks became unacceptable. In order to overcome these problems the German Improved Air Defence System (GIADS) was procured and introduced in 2004.

In-Service Support Management

The General Air Force Office (de: Luftwaffenamt - LWA), later the GAF Material Command and finally the

GAF Weapon Systems Command

– WSC (de: Waffensystemkommando der Luftwaffe – WaSysKdoLw) has been in charge of the ARKONA In-Service Support Management (ISSM) since its take-over to the Bundeswehr in 1990. Today this WSC provides the obsolescence management, the hardware and software configuration control and the software related instructions to the GAF C3 SSC. The in-service support manager certifies on request the utilization of third party users.

End of life cycle utilization

With the closure of the last ARKONA CRC – Brockzetel in December 2010 the stationary utilization of the ACC System was frozen. For special cases, e.g. Deployable Air Situation Display and Interface Processor System (DASDIPS), and as far as the logistic maintenance remains possible, ARKONA will be used continuously. This will be the case for third party users as well. Moreover, there might be requirement for selected features e.g.:

Interface functionality / data exchange of tactical data links
Utilization of the ARKONA IT-Security gateway function high-to-low (certified by the National Certification Authority) in line with the Security Operating Procedures (SOP)
ASTERIX conversion of proprietary RADRA data formats
Mode S
processing / display

Remark: The DASDIPS pool consists mainly of deployable hardware and software products operated by the GAF Tactical Command and Control Service (TACCS / de: Einsatzführungsdienst der Luftwaffe – EinsFüDstLw). Some of these component are the ARKONA ACC System, the remaining terrestrial radio systems of the Aeronautical Mobile Service (R-863, AMS East, original description "Бекас P-863M") and the CSI (CRC/SAM Interface) System. DASDIPS is mainly dedicated to support limited operations (e.g. to provide assistance to the Federal Police, exercises, etc.) with the emphasis RAP display, interface functionality, and the improvement of the Air Situation Awareness.

At present the successor product GIADS is operational in the stationary CRCs and in the Deployable CRC.

References

G. Hiemann, Lehrbuch Mil. FS, ... 1987,
ISBN 3-327-00310-6

Sowj. Truppen in D, ... 1994,
ISBN 5-235-02221-1

50 Jahre Einsatzführungsdienst der Luftwaffe 1969–2010, issued by L. Fölbach

External links

Luftwaffe official website (in German)
Fölbach Medienservice (in German)