Since being established in 1985, SC-159 has produced and maintained a suite of minimum operational performance standards (MOPS) and minimum aviation system performance standards (MASPS) for aviation equipment using the Global Positioning System (GPS) as augmented by aircraft-based, ground-based, and satellite-based augmentation systems (ABAS, GBAS, and SBAS, respectively) as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These standards are in widespread use today but only address equipment that processes one legacy GPS signal – the GPS coarse/acquisition (C/A) code that is modulated on the link 1 (L1) carrier frequency of 1575.42 MHz.

GPS is presently being modernized, and the constellation is being populated with three new civil signals (L5, L2C, and L1C) on multiple frequencies with three of the four end-state civil signals (L1 C/A, L5, and L1C) being located within bands allocated for aeronautical radio-navigation services (ARNS). SBASs, such as the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) in North America, are evolving to support dual-frequency user equipment. Additionally, other GNSS core constellations have been deployed (Russia’s GLONASS) or will soon be deployed (Europe’s Galileo and China’s BeiDou). ICAO’s Navigation System Panel (NSP) has already started updating Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) contained within Annex 10 to the International Convention on Civil Aviation to incorporate GPS and GLONASS modernization as well as the new core constellations. However, equipment standards are still required.

For additional meeting summaries, please contact the Program Director: Karan Hofmann