Test Results of an F/A-18 Automatic Carrier Landing Using Shipboard Relative Global Positioning System

Abstract : Under the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Precision Approach and Landing System program, the Navy is responsible for developing the shipboard coreponent, termed Shipboard Relative Global Positioning System (SRGPS). As part of the SRGPS effort, a test bed was developed to demonstrate air traffic control, navigation, and landing capabilities in the carrier environment. During flight testing from January through April 2001, Global Positioning System (GPS)-based automatic landings were conducted at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and aboard the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-7l) using an F/A-18A Hornet test aircraft. This report describes the overall SRGPS test effort. The report also gives an overview of the test bed hardware, as well as results for navigation sensor error, flight technical error, and total system error. The test and analysis results support the feasibility of the GPS-based precision approach and landing system concept.