FLORIDA Airspace monitoring and management system

The FLORIDA Airspace monitoring and management system was an Airspace monitoring and management system of the Swiss Air Force from the Hughes Aircraft Company Fullerton, California, USA.

History
The FLORIDA airspace monitoring and management system was put into operation in about 1970, replacing the previous SRF Airspace monitoring and management system. With the FLORIDA system was a continuous air surveillance during 24h 365 days possible. In contrast to the SFR system, the FLORIDA system was already partially automatet it could identify the radar data mostly by it self,and was able to calculate interception lines to a specific radartrack. The construction of the FLORIDA system could not held as a secret, (the radar antennas of the Florida system enhances the protection of meteorological conditions (strong winds,lightning) and military attacks, by lower them into the mountain) the construction work especially at the Tourist developed Mount Pilatus were widely visible. The FLORIDA system had by 2001 reached its end of its life cycle and since the requirements after 9/11 rose and the processing of more than 400 flying objects at the same time could not keep up with the development of the increasing air traffic, the FLORIDA system was replaced in 2003 by the current air traffic control and guidance system FLORAKO.

Technology
The FLORIDA system can be divided into three main components: The rotating radar antenna consisted of a primaryradar, and a secondaryradar mounted over the primary radar. They could be fully retracted into the mountain peak which was automatically closed with a massive door. The height locations were also equipped with AAA in rotatably domes for self-defense. There were several operational centers available, wartime operational centers in mountain caverns (these were later refitted to FLORAKO operations centers) and an operations center for peace time at Dübendorf, this is right next to the surveillance squadron building and is now used by the civilian Skyguide as a test center. The consoles were equipped with a trackball (forerunner of the computer mouse) and allowed to edit each radar track quickly, when the FLORIDA system could not identify it automatically itself. Each console had several displays showing always best intercepiton path (the path was showed in several numbers who stood for height, speed,..) for the allocated intercept aircraft flying under the control of the tactical fighter controller (TFC) on this console. The TFC transmit this by radio to the Aircraft by using the Bambini-Code (a in WW2 by the Swiss Air Force developed tactical code like the today used Brevity code). Each operations center was also equipped with a large status board which indicated the most important information of all the military airfields. The computer center consists primarily of the computing system with the corresponding peripheral devices (magnettape, printer, punch cards and paper tape) and the interface devices (interfaces) for data communication with the local (on-screen consoles, status board, etc.) and external subsystems (Redundant computing centers, radar stations, Bl-64 positions, direction finders, eg.). The computer can process data from up to 400 aircraft simultaneously.
 * The 4 radar antennas on the height locations.
 * The operational centers
 * The computing center.

Tasks of the FLORIDA system

 * Formation of an adjusted, identified overall air situation based on the information on the local air situation of the different radar stations. Continuous updating of the data.
 * Data communication with all integrated systems in the FLORIDA system and with internal and external subsystems.
 * Provision of data to show the air situation on the consoles, and state of readiness of the own forces on the status board in the operational centers.
 * Computation of solutions for use of fighteraircrafts, or missile to attack an enemy aircraft at the request of the operator (air defense).
 * Calculation and presentation of data management continuously updated according to the selected operating procedures for the operator.
 * Maintenance of operational software and the ability to test software and the simulation of selective air situations for the training of miliz military personnel (Swiss soldier usually are only part-time in Military 2–4 weeks every year, see Military of Switzerland).

Gallery
A FLORIDA radar antenna, statusboard, 2 consoles and a complete computer center are today in the Flieger-Flab-Museum at Dübendorf.