FUSION: Air Traffic Management Information Publishing and Visualization System

Within the Air Force there are a wide range of operational systems that manipulate air traffic management data and handle tasks such as flight planning, air space scheduling, aircraft control, weather prediction, mission forecasting, etc. Each of these systems maintains independent databases – important ATM information is not shared across systems. The FUSION system assembles multi-source ATM data in a common XML schema and publishes it while maintaining operational security. FUSION provides a single authoritative source for ATM data. The data will be used by both DOD and civilian authorities to improve situational awareness and to support DOD planning and operational activities. The result will be increased efficiency, decreased risks, and increased flight safety. The first key technology in FUSION is its ability to integrate disparate multi-source legacy ATM data into an XML schema, to normalize the data, and to publish it to XML data consumers. The second key technology in FUSION is interactive, browser-based, thin-client ATM data visualization and dashboards. Both of these technologies have the potential for broad utilization and impact within DOD and also in the commercial sector.