Evaluating the Feasibility of a Radar Separation Minimum for a Long-Range SSR

This paper deals with an analytical method for establishing a separation minimum for air traffic control using a monopulse SSR (Secondary Surveillance Radar), namely the Long Range SSR (LSSR), of which coverage is extended to 250 n.m. The azimuth estimation accuracy of the monopulse SSR was significantly improved compared with that of conventional SSR. As an index of a collision risk due to azimuth errors of the LSSR, the close approach probability (CAP) associated with the probability of overlap of aircraft in azimuth is used for evaluating the safety of the surveillance system. The CAPs for both the LSSR and the conventional SSR are estimated by modelling and comparing distributions of azimuth errors. The CAP for the LSSR is significantly smaller than that for the conventional one under 5 n.m. separation minimum.