CHAPTER 5
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL EQUIPMENT
Your job as an Air Traffic Controller (AC) is to facilitate the safe, orderly, expeditious
movement of aircraft. You must also control vehicular and pedestrian traffic on the
airfield. Radios, RADAR, and signaling devices will enable you to provide information
and instructions relative to such traffic. This chapter will discuss the tools of your trade.
You understand your equipment s capabilities and limitations, because you cannot
perform your duties without a thorough understanding of the equipment available to you.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The material in this chapter will enable you to:
Identify and describe the types and functions of various equipment found in most
naval control towers
State the principle upon which RADAR operates and the general function of
major components of a typical RADAR set
Identify the types, uses, and operating characteristics of ATC RADAR systems
Identify the uses, functions, and capabilities of equipment used by ATC
personnel aboard ship
JOINT ELECTRONICS TYPE DESIGNATION SYSTEM
The Joint Electronics Type Designation System (JETDS), formerly known as the AN
nomenclature system, was developed to standardize identification of electronic material
and associated equipment within the DOD.
Designation System
JETDS applies to developmental, preproduction, and production models of systems,
groups, components, and subassemblies of electronic equipment for military use. Once
assigned, a type designation will never be duplicated.
JETDS Nomenclature
In the JETDS, nomenclature consists of a name followed by a type designation
composed of indicator letters and an assigned number. A type designation assignment
for a complete system or set consists of an AN (which is used to identify major items of
electronic equipment), a slant bar, a series of three letters, a hyphen, and a number. An
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