RFC 9372 Published – A Joint Effort by DLR and RI CODE
27 March 2023
On November 5, 2019, the team consisting of Nils Mäurer (DLR), Thomas Gräupl (DLR), and Corinna Schmitt (RI CODE, UniBw M) launched efforts toward IETF standardization of the “L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS).” Updates to the document were repeatedly presented at numerous IETF meetings and discussed in the “Reliable and Available Wireless” (RAW) working group. The work has now been published as RFC 9372.
RFC 9372 [1] provides an overview of the architecture of the L-Band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS), which offers a secure, scalable, and spectrum-efficient terrestrial data link for civil aviation. LDACS is a scheduled and reliable cellular broadband system with multiple applications and support for IPv6. It is part of a broader transition of air traffic control communications to IP-based communications. High reliability and availability of IP connectivity via LDACS, as well as security, are therefore essential. The purpose of this document is to introduce LDACS to the IETF community, raise awareness of related activities both within and outside the IETF, and gather expertise to help shape the transition of aviation to IP.
[1] N.Mäurer, T.Gräupl, C.Schmitt: L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System (LDACS). IETF, Fremont, CA, USA, RFC 9372, March 2023. https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9372.pdf
Photos: © Freepik/wirestock, SeCoSys/Schmitt
