Europe Unites Under ATM Master Plan for Smarter, Cleaner Airspace

Credit:Thales

Achieving environmentally friendly skies is no small feat—especially in air traffic management (ATM), where safety and security remain paramount. Change in this domain is necessarily incremental, built on partnerships that leverage today’s technology while anticipating tomorrow’s possibilities. It’s about having a clear vision and developing scalable solutions that can evolve alongside future challenges.

For Europe, this vision is embodied in the European ATM Master Plan, and Thales has been part of this journey from the very beginning. As a market leader in ATM solutions, Thales combines innovation with responsibility, demonstrated through proactive engagement and steadfast commitment to the Master Plan.

Commitment: From Vision to Immediate Action

While sustainable aviation fuels and alternative power sources are essential for long-term solutions, they are still on the horizon. The pressing challenge is acting now with the tools already at our disposal.

The European ATM Master Plan calls for immediate, practical solutions to achieve near-term sustainability. Central to this is a continent-wide digital transformation of air traffic management: automation, dynamic airspace use, and data-driven systems allow more flights in the same airspace—without compromising safety or increasing costs.

To succeed, Europe must move beyond fragmented systems and siloed approaches. Collaboration is key, with a unified goal of a more efficient and sustainable aviation industry. In 2024, leaders from the A6 Alliance of ANSPs and manufacturers, including Thales, signed a joint statement to transition toward a cloud-based, data-driven service delivery model. This approach enables safer, faster, and more secure deployment of innovations essential to realizing the Master Plan.

Building the Digital European Sky

One of the Master Plan’s top priorities is trajectory optimisation, essential as air traffic is projected to double by 2040. Achieving this requires more than upgraded aircraft—it requires a system capable of dynamically managing traffic, anticipating conflicts, and adjusting in real time based on available data.

Thales is at the forefront of this transformation. Its OpenSky Platform was the first open, secure, service-oriented, cloud-native ATM platform, allowing flexible integration of third-party solutions. This modular approach avoids siloed inefficiencies, letting the European ATM community pursue a shared vision while respecting national sovereignty.

The upgraded TopSky ATC solution, built on OpenSky, showcases the advantages of cloud-based technology: decoupling services from infrastructure allows air navigation services to scale independently, meeting environmental targets, traffic surges, and emerging mobility demands such as drones.

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Dynamic airspace management is another breakthrough. Thales’ technology enables real-time, collaborative allocation of airspace. Smaller ANSPs can hand over sectors during off-peak hours, or regions can pool resources to handle traffic surges—maximizing efficiency while respecting local needs.

Cybersecurity is equally critical. As data sharing and interconnectivity expand, Thales ensures that systems remain secure, protecting sensitive information and maintaining trust across Europe’s airspace network.

Automation, powered by AI, supports controllers in managing increasing traffic complexity. Real-time insights and recommendations reduce human error, improve decision-making, and enhance overall airspace efficiency.

A Unified, Product-Driven Approach

The path to a Digital European Sky is complex, but clear: technology, collaboration, and commitment are essential. The EASA Design or Production Organisation (DPO) regulation underpins this transformation, providing a single framework for approving ATM/ANS equipment across the EU. Thales is actively pursuing DPO certification, simplifying solution deployment and ensuring the highest safety and interoperability standards.

Treating each capability as a standalone, certified product ensures true interoperability, industrializes certification, and reduces both costs and time. Standardisation requires two-way collaboration: industry contributes specifications while ANSPs converge on common requirements. Thales’ dynamic airspace management technology exemplifies this principle, enabling real-time, cooperative airspace allocation while respecting national sovereignty.

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Digital defragmentation—unifying fragmented systems—is critical. Lessons from telecom, banking, and aerospace manufacturing show the power of common standards to enable seamless, efficient operations. Success will depend on a dedicated governance model co-owned by ANSPs, regulators, and industry players, fostering genuine bottom-up collaboration.

Leading the Transformation

Through close collaboration with industry and alignment with the Master Plan, Thales is enabling the Digital European Sky, delivering open, secure, and scalable platforms. By driving innovation, efficiency, and operational excellence, these efforts are shaping a safer, greener, and more connected European ATM ecosystem for the future.

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