SESAR Joint Undertaking formally inaugurated

The Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) partnership for the future European air traffic management system was formally inaugurated on 8 December in Brussels.

The JU, comprising industry stakeholders, was established to oversee delivery of the European Single Sky masterplan as laid out in the SESAR definition phase. It will manage annual investment of EUR300 million (USD402 million) in research-and-development projects over the next five years that will collectively develop and evaluate the systems and solutions needed to realise SESAR.

Two founding members, the European Commission and Eurocontrol, are joined in the JU by private companies and industry bodies. These are: air navigation service providers DSNA (France), DFS (Germany), ENAV (Italy), NORACON (Northern Europe and Austria), AENA (Spain), and NATS (UK); manufacturers Frequentis (Austria), Indra Sistemas (Spain), Selex Sistemi Integrati (Italy), Thales (France), Airbus (France) and Alenia Aeronautica (Italy); and airport authorities AENA (Spain), NORACON and SEAC (a consortium being formed that is expected to include six large European airports).

US company Honeywell and the Norway-based North European ATM Industry Group are also set to join the JU. 182 of 380 words