• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

SSC San Diego Supports Marine Operations Overseas

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS041206-13
Release Date: 12/6/2004 5:21:00 PM

From Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- A transportable air traffic control system, whose original development and current engineering support is overseen by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego (SSC San Diego), is supporting Marine Corps operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Marine Air Traffic Control and Landing System (MATCALS) provides the same capabilities and more than a commercial airport. It can be moved and erected at an existing airfield, or used with a tactical airfield setup with aluminum runway matting. Self-powered by generators, MATCALS is used in arduous conditions, sometimes involving combat operations, and then rotated back to SSC San Diego for repair and refurbishment.

"The Marines love these systems," MATCALS engineer Ernest Williams said. "We provide voice recorders, radios, telephone lines, RADAR, encryption and satellite communication access. MATCALS has weather sensors to provide wind speed, direction and gusts, barometric pressure, dew point and temperature. This is basically all of the weather information pilots need for take-offs and landings. The system provides the same capabilities as a commercial airport, in a small package."

SSC San Diego developed one of the air traffic control (ATC) towers and had oversight of engineering and development of the other ATC tower in the inventory. The ATC Tower Cab sits 24-feet off the ground on scaffolding that is erected on-site by the Marines. The Remote Landing Site Tower is a smaller, lighter tower that is High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)-mounted. It is used for landing tactical aircraft and helicopters at forward arming and refueling sites or as a first in system because of it's mobility to establish early ATC operations.

Two radar capabilities in the system conduct In-Flight Report (IFR) operations to detect air traffic out to 60 miles and precision guidance radar for the final approach. These radars feed into the Communications and Control Subsystems where IFR air traffic controllers monitor multi-mode display screens to control air traffic.

MATCALS has a sheltered dual-beacon Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) system that provides distance and bearing signals to aircraft. Recently the SSC San Diego MATCALS team designed a man-pack TACAN system that can be carried by two Marines. A metal briefcase contains the electronic circuit cards and a gun case contains a tripod and an antenna. Laid out in 25 to 40 mile increments, the Marines use these to provide a tracking capability for helicopters to various landing sites or targets of opportunity.

"Because of the featureless terrain in the desert there are few points of reference for the pilot's navigation, Williams said. "The portable TACAN systems are mounted at critical locations to provide location references. With such ease of portability, they can be delivered to strategic spots by HMMWV and set up in less than 10 minutes. The Marines are so happy with these systems that 14 more have been requested and are now being built at SSC San Diego."

The MATCALS team made on-site visits and checked out systems to assess the wear and tear from training operations and to quickly repair any damage on a very short notice.

"We have made a very rapid response and met the deployment deadlines in support of the war effort," Williams said. "We have been very effective at getting the job done."