Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and Direction Finder (DF) Systems

Descriptions

The Maritime Combat System (MCS), Communications and Situational Awareness (CSA) Team has responsibility for placing an In-Service Support (ISS) contract covering HMS Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Aircraft Carriers,' Ship Air Interface (SAI) equipment (equipment used on board the QEC to maintain the aviation capability). The current TACAN and DF systems are key components of the SAI and are also classified as Air Traffic Management (ATM) equipment, and therefore subject to the regulatory requirements of the Military Aviation Authority (MAA). The TACAN system acts as a beacon providing aircraft with information on relative bearing and distance to the ship. The DF system provides air traffic controllers with information on the bearing of aircraft from the ship based upon their radio transmissions. At present, the capability is facing obsolescence challenges and replacement systems are sought for deployment from 01 November 2025. The requisite approvals under the Military Airworthiness Authority's (MAA) Regulatory Articles under the Air Traffic Management (ATM) Equipment Approved Organisation Scheme (AAOS) will be required. A high-level Statement of Requirement (SoR) has been developed and agreed with Navy Command stakeholders defining the scope of support required to achieve the required levels of availability and provide the necessary specialist advice and support to meet legislative, regulatory and safety requirements. Additionally, the provision of enduring support to meet this scope of requirement is a prerequisite for obtaining full ATM releases for the operational use of the systems on QEC.