The Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) is an air traffic control automation system currently being used in many TRACONs around the United States. STARS is intended to replace the Automated Radar Terminal System (ARTS). ARTS is still in use at many air traffic control facilities.
The STARS program receives and processes target reports, weather, and other nontarget messages from both terminal and en route digital sensors. Additionally, it automatically tracks primary and secondary surveillance targets and provides aircraft position information to the enhanced traffic management system (ETMS). Finally it also detects unsafe proximities between tracked aircraft pairs and provides warning if tracked aircraft are detected at a dangerously low altitude. Additional features it includes are converging runway display aid (CRDA) and controller automation spacing aid (CASA). These features display "ghost" targets as an aid to controllers attempting to tightly space aircraft in the terminal environment ([1]).
The system is currently being used at a number of TRACON sites throughout the US[2] and a number of military RAPCON sites that control military air traffic.[3]
The STARS is part of the FAA's TAMR project to replace aging hardware and software at TRACONS. It is also called TAMR Phase I.[4] The larger TRACONs still use Common ARTs capable equipment but the FAA announced in Spring 2011 that TAMR Segment 3 Phase 1 will consist of replacing these 11 larger TRACONS with STARS by 2015. The current projection is to start with the Dallas-Ft.Worth TRACON (DFW) in 2012.
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