Russia Developed Instrument Deck Landing System

28.11.2012 Russian company Piloting Research Center produced a satellite radionavigation system and prepared it for state trials. The system is designed for naval aircraft providing 'blind' deck landing. According to Izvestiya, the tests will start in the nearest time and if they are successful, the system will be mounted on ship-based aircraft.

As is expected, deck-based fighters Su-33 of the 279-th Shipborne Fighter Regiment will receive the new instrument landing systems first. The new system is supposed to shift available inertial and satellite navigation systems calculating coordinates by an airplane's motion since the takeoff moment and being corrected by GPS and GLONASS signals. New system is based on so-called 'relative navigation'.

The point of the system is that GPS and GLONASS signals are received not by one but two airplanes. They conduct online exchange of coordinates. Thanks to that, onboard computers of the both airplanes improve positional accuracy up to a 10-cm error. An instrument landing is maintained right up to touchdown.

Generally, the new system is a small-size monoblock unit with inbuilt satellite system and computer. The system can be mounted on any type of aircraft, from Su-33 fighters to Il-78 refueling tankers. That system will make landing in bad weather and low visibility conditions safer.

According to the source of Izvestiya participating in tests of such system for civil aircraft, coordinates are updated several times a second. The pilot may set a visual mark on control panel or in-flight display and, holding the mark in proper position, place the airplane in landing position. The source added that the tested airplane performed takeoff, landing and taxiing without visual contact with the ground.

Preliminary tests of the instrument landing system for military aircraft were held on Su-30. In particular, the fighter performed instrument landing approach and deck touchdown on Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. This phase of trials has finished successfully. Thanks to that system, "even not much experienced" pilots will be able to land on carrier's deck, the insider told Izvestiya.