AFISNET

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ACP WG-F/11 WP/25
INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION
ELEVENTH INFORMAL MEETING ON THE AERONAUTICAL
COMMUNICATION PANEL WORKING GROUP F
(ACP WG-F/11) (Nairobi, 20 27 February 2004)

AGENDA ITEM 9 Review of agenda for WRC07
development of
the draft ICAO position
Resolution 415(WRC 03)
AFISNETAn instrument of Intra/Inter Regional
Co-operation supporting Air Navigation services
(Presented by ASECNA)
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I- SUMMARY
The present Working Paper is a contribution as
an existing solution to the resolution 415 it is
a cooperative approach, which has permitted to
set up in AFI Region an appropriate
communication infrastructure that meets the
evolving requirements of modern civil aviation.
From the beginning, AFISNET(African and Indian
Ocean Satellite Network) has been designed as an
instrument for regional integration, to provide
digital and modern aeronautical satellite
communications. It also permitted to eliminate t
he shortcomings and deficiencies in terms of ATS
services implementation. In so doing, it contribu
tes to improve the air navigation safety in AFI
Region.
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II- BACKGROUND
For the reliability of the Aeronautical Fixed and
Mobile services in the ACCRA, BRAZZAVILLE, KANO,
NDJAMENA and NIAMEY FIR, a satellite
telecommunications network for Central and West
Africa named initially AEROSATEL and now AFISNET
was Initiated by ICAO and Funded by the European
Economic Community (EEC).
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It was Implemented by ALCATEL from 1992 to 1995.
AEROSATEL comprised a total of fifteen earth
stations. In KANO and LAGOS two INTELSAT standard
B earth stations (Antenna of 11m) and thirteen I
NTELSAT standard F2 earth stations (antenna of 7
.30m) in ACCRA, ABUJA, BANGUI, BRAZZAVILLE,DOUAL
A, ILORIN, JOS, LIBREVILLE, MAIDIGURI, NDJAMENA,
NIAMEY, PORT HARCOURT and SOKOTO. A representat
ion of the network is shown in Figure 1
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FIGURE 1 AEROSATEL
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III- AN INSTRUMENT OF INTRA/INTER
REGIONALCO-OPERATION SUPPORTING AIR NAVIGATION
SERVICES 

•  INTRA-REGIONAL CO-OPERATION
• Within the framework of the project, a Satellite
  Network Management Committee (SNMC) was set up,
  involving
  
• GCAA for GHANA, NAMA for NIGERIA, ASECNA,
  ROBERTS FIR, ICAO and European Union
  
• The suppliers of equipment (ALCATEL, ALENIA and
  CORIS), participating in the Committee as
  Observer
  

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• An Engineer from IAL(English design Office)
  named by the European Union ensured the
  co-ordination.
  
• The objectives of the management
  Committee are
  
• the network extension on free participation
  basis
  
• the interoperability (integration) with other
  African
  
• networks
• the periodic review of the technical and
  operational
  
• performance of the network
• the co-operation in various areas, between the
• responsible for the concerned centres in
  terms of
  
• exchange of technicians, experience sharing,
• mutual assistance in case of earth station
  system
  
• failure.
•  

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• This co-operation allowed a transfer of
  technology and an undeniable know-how to the
  members participating in the network life.
  
• In so doing, The members gained significant
  experience and expertise in respect of the
  implementation, installation, exploitation and
  maintenance of ground station systems, supporting
  aeronautical telecommunications.
• Due to the non-renewable by the European Union of
  the technical assistance contract the current
  members decided for
  
• Meeting Co-ordination
• the hosting administration should act as the
  co-ordinator
  
• with assistance from ICAO
• Frequency Of Meetings
• the SNMC meeting shall be held once a year on a
  rotation basis

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• Considering APIRG/10 guideline and in accordance
  with AFI/7recommendation 9/2, it was noted a
  remarkable extension of the basic network in
  
• all ASECNA area(including Madagascar)
• ROBERTS FIR
• MAURITIUS,
• REUNION and MAYOTTE
• the COMOROS
• SOUTH AFRICA
• FRANCE
• AFISNET comprises today fifty four earth
  stations(of which , thirty nine(39) belong to
  ASECNA)distributed in twenty-two States, as
  indicated in figures 2 and 3.
• Negotiations in progress will expand the network
  in Angola, Algeria and Sao Tome Principe.
  

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AFISNET MAP
FIGURE 2
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FIGURE 3
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INTER-REGIONAL CO-OPERATION

• According to APIRG/13 Conclusion 13/14, the
  interconnection between AFISNET and SADC network
  is implemented(figure 4).
  
•  
• Other interoperability projects in progress,
  notably with MEDSAT network (figure 5), will
  permit to extend AFISNET in the Mediterranean
  
•  
• It should also be noted the realization of a
  gateway between AFISNET and CAFSAT network
  (Figure 6)
  

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AFISNET/SADC NETWORKINTERCONNECTION
FIGURE 4
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FIGURE 5
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GATEWAY AFISNET/CAFSAT NETWORKAFTN
INTEROPERABILITY
FIGURE 6
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• Consolidation of ATS services on a single
  satellite
  
• According to APIRG/13 Conclusion 13/11 all the
  AFI VSAT
  
• networks will migrate to the same INTELSAT
  satellite
  
• IS 10-02_at_359 East.
• In the short terms, using of the single
  transponder , will create a seamless network .
  
• Anyway, the target is the full interoperability
  of all the existing AFI VSAT networks(AFISNET,
  SADC, CAFSAT) and those in progress(NAFISAT and
  MIDVSAT), by using the same satellite access ,
  the same operating mode and the plug to plug
  compatible protocols.
• In so doing, it will permit, notably
• a smooth implementation of the ATN in AFI Region
  and above all, the implementation of air/ground
  link by a cooperative and proactive approach.
  ASECNA will propose possible solutions, for
  review.

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• the portability of applications and in particular
  the
  
• implementation of the links to Hönefoss(ESTB
  centre in
  
• Norway) for the extension of the Test Bed
  EGNOS trials in
  
• Zone B and C .
• It should be noted that ASECNA for the purpose
  of the Test Bed EGNOS trials in its area of
  competence(zone A), has successfully implemented
  the link to Hönefoss(ESTB in Norway) using
  AFISNET, as illustrated in figure 7.
• The ICAO regional meeting dealing with the review
  of migration issues with INTELSAT, will be held
  
  
• in Johannesburg(31 March- 01 April 2004).

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FIGURE 7
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• AFISNETINSTRUMENTSUPPORTING
• AIR NAVIGATION SERVICES
• Support for the ATS services implementation,
  AFISNET allowed to eliminate most of the
  shortcomings and deficiencies as regards
  communications, which prevailed in AFI Region
• AERONAUTICAL FIXED SERVICE
• According to AFI/7 Recommendations 9/2, 9/8,
  14/20,
  
• APIRG/12 Conclusions 12/12, 12/13, 12/15 and
• APIRG/13 Conclusion 13/17 the services
  implemented are summarized below.
  
• AFTN 92 circuits
• GTS 30 circuits
• ATS/DS 88 circuits
• Maintenance phone 100 circuits

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• AERONAUTICAL MOBILE SERVICE
• An important programme of the extension of VHF
  
  
• coverage is carried out within the concerned
  FIR as indicated in table 2.
  
• The details of this important VHF programme in
  ASECNA area , are given in table 3.
  
• It should be noted that, other remote VHF
  stations will be operational before end of 2004,
  in particular the remote VHF station in
  Santiago(Cape Verde), for the VHF coverage
  extension of the Dakar Oceanic FIR

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TABLE 2
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TABLE 3
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• NON AERONAUTICAL SERVICES

• It should be noted that in its area, ASECNA has
  implemented
  
• an Administrative network including
• Phone communications between operational centres
  and with
  
• the bodies of Headquarter in Dakar
• Exchange of messages(Aeronautical Intranet)
• Distance learning facilities.

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• III CONCLUSION
• The meeting is invited to
• take note of the above information
• encourage and consolidate the intra/inter
  regional
  
• cooperation in the implementation of quality
  ATS services
  
• recommend the use of the available ground
  facilities,
  
• supporting aeronautical telecommunications, to
  improve the
  
• services given to the users