FLORIDA Airspace monitoring and management system

FLORIDA Radar antenna at Flieger-Flab-Museum Dübendorf

The FLORIDA Airspace monitoring and management system was an airspace monitoring and management system of the Swiss Air Force from the Hughes Aircraft Company Fullerton, California, USA.

History

FLORIDA consoles at the Flieger-Flab-Museum Dübendorf

The FLORIDA airspace monitoring and management system was put into operation in about 1970, replacing the previous SRF Airspace monitoring and management system. With the FLORIDA system continuous 24-hour/365-day air surveillance was possible. In contrast to the SFR system, the FLORIDA system was already partially automated; it could identify the radar data mostly by itself, and was able to calculate interception lines to a specific radar track. The construction of the FLORIDA system could not held as a secret, (the radar antennas of the Florida system enhances the protection of meteorological conditions (strong winds,lightning) and military attacks, by lower them into the mountain) the construction work especially at Mount Pilatus were widely visible to tourists. The FLORIDA system had by 2001 reached its end of its life cycle and since the requirements after 9/11 rose and the processing of more than 400 flying objects at the same time could not keep up with the development of the increasing air traffic. The FLORIDA system was replaced in 2003 by the current air traffic control and guidance system FLORAKO.

Technology

The FLORIDA system can be divided into three main components:

  • The 4 radar antennas on the height locations.

The rotating radar antenna consisted of a primaryradar, and a secondaryradar mounted over the primary radar. They could be fully retracted into the mountain peak which was automatically closed with a massive door. The height locations were also equipped with AAA in rotatably domes for self-defense.

  • The operational centers

There were several operational centers available, wartime operational centers in mountain caverns (these were later refitted to FLORAKO operations centers) and an operations center for peace time at Dübendorf, this is right next to the surveillance squadron building and is now used by the civilian Skyguide as a test center. The consoles were equipped with a trackball (forerunner of the computer mouse) and allowed to edit each radar track quickly, when the FLORIDA system could not identify it automatically itself. Each console had several displays showing always best intercepiton path (the path was shown in several numbers who stood for height, speed,..) for the allocated intercept aircraft flying under the control of the tactical fighter controller (TFC) on this console. The TFC transmit this by radio to the Aircraft by using the Bambini-Code (a in World War II by the Swiss Air Force developed tactical code like the today used Brevity code). Each operations center was also equipped with a large status board which indicated the most important information of all the military airfields.

  • The computing center.

The computer center consists primarily of the computing system with the corresponding peripheral devices (magnettape, printer, punch cards and paper tape) and the interface devices (interfaces) for data communication with the local (on-screen consoles, status board, etc.) and external subsystems (Redundant computing centers, radar stations, Bl-64 positions, direction finders, eg.). The computer can process data from up to 400 aircraft simultaneously.[1]

Tasks of the FLORIDA system

  • Formation of an adjusted, identified overall air situation based on the information on the local air situation of the different radar stations. Continuous updating of the data.
  • Data communication with all integrated systems in the FLORIDA system and with internal and external subsystems.
  • Provision of data to show the air situation on the consoles, and state of readiness of the own forces on the status board in the operational centers.
  • Computation of solutions for use of fighteraircrafts, or missile to attack an enemy aircraft at the request of the operator (air defense).
  • Calculation and presentation of data management continuously updated according to the selected operating procedures for the operator.
  • Maintenance of operational software and the ability to test software and the simulation of selective air situations for the training of miliz military personnel (Swiss soldier usually are only part-time in Military 2–4 weeks every year, see Military of Switzerland).

A FLORIDA radar antenna, statusboard, 2 consoles and a complete computer center are today in the Flieger-Flab-Museum at Dübendorf.

References

  1. ↑ Jürg Lindecker: Florida und Flinte, die informationstechnisch Revolution. In: Erinnerungen an die Armee 61, Verlag Huber Frauenfeld, 2014
  • Flieger-Flab-Museum Dübendorf
  • Alber Wüst: Die Schweizerische Fliegerabwehr. 2011, ISBN 978-3-905616-20-0
  • Uno Zero Zero – Ein Jahrhundert Schweizer Luftwaffe. Aeropublications, Teufen/ZH 2013, ISBN 978-3-9524239-0-5
  • Louis Geiger, Franz Betschon| Erinnerungen an die Armee 61. Huber Frauenfeld 2014, ISBN 978-3-7193-1513-9
  • Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Hubacher und der Maulwurf
  • Flinte, das Internet der Luftwaffe. Allgemeine schweizerische Militärzeitschrift ASMZ, Heft 6, Band 163, 1997
  • Militärische Denkmäler im Bereich der Luftwaffe (PDF)(German only)
  • Übersicht Radarsysteme der Schweizer Luftfahrt(German only)
  • Florida Radar System bei 5:35 auf YouTube (German only)
  • The Florida Radar System at 4:20 on YouTube (German only)
  • The Aerospace Year Book, Volume 48 American Aviation Publications., 1970
  • Jane's Weapon Systems F. Watts, 1987
  • Jane's C3I Systems Jane's Information Group, 1990
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