TACAN+ | Tactical Airborne Navigation System

Product overview

The Acron Aviation Tactical Airborne Navigation System, TACAN+, provides efficiency, reduces costs and offers flexibility to pilots on various helicopter and military aircraft platforms.

It is the only TACAN able to run four TACAN/DME ground stations simultaneously, and two in bearing, with a tracking velocity at 1800 knots. It also provides optimized air-to-air ranging performance for multi-aircraft scenarios with a software-controlled dual antenna switching and configuration. One of the system’s most noted features is the high power packed into TACAN+, weighing only 5.2 pounds with a 750-watt transceiver.

Key features

Military-grade reliability

Designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, TACAN+ meets MIL-STD 291C and NATO STANAG-5034. It has been tested to MIL-STD-810G, MIL-STD-704 and MIL-461E, and meets DO-160F helicopter vibration levels. The TACAN+ system features lightning-protected circuitry and is subjected to Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS) and Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) for maximum system reliability.

Flexible controllers and indicators

The Acron Aviation TACAN+ incorporates a sine/cosine bearing output along with a CDI interface per ARINC 547, and low- and high-level flags per ARINC 547 and 579. This bearing information is pilot-selectable, from either the number one (1) or number two (2) tracking channels. The TACAN+ provides an ARINC 568 digital range output from either the number one (1) or number two (2) tracking channels for display of range information on remote EFIS or HSI displays.

Air to air (A-A) mode

TACAN+ uniquely features two automatically enabled A-A transmit-receive modes providing seamless and enhanced tactical capability and multiple mission capability. If no A-A bearing signal is detected, TACAN+ enters a high signal dynamics 20-meter mode. In this mode, the TACAN+ receiver is configured to accommodate the strongest received A-A signal and still ensures adequate reception of other weaker signal participating aircraft. This mode enables multiple TACAN+ equipped aircraft to track a ‘lead’ aircraft across a wide range of flying scenarios, down to a minimum closest follower distance of 20 meters. Upon detecting an A-A bearing signal, TACAN+ automatically exits the high signal dynamics 20-meter mode and enters the beacon tracking mode. In the beacon tracking mode, the receiver is configured for optimal reception and tracking of the beacon signal source.

Specifications

Physical	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter: 5.2 lb. (2.36 kg) ID-2502 Display Unit: 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) TACAN+ Mounting Tray: 0.4 lb. (0.18 kg) Control units: F3849: 1.25 lb. (0.567 kg) F6555: 2.0 lb. (0.907 kg)
Size	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter: 4.97 in. (H) x 3.45 in (W) x 10.75 in. (D) - (12.62 cm x 8.76 cm x 27.31 cm) ID-2502 Display Unit - 1/2 3ATI x 6.9 in. (17.53 cm) Control units: F3849 - 2.4 in. x 2.8 in. (6.10 cm x 7.11 cm F6555 - 2.24 in. x 5.75 in. (5.69 cm x 14.6 cm)
Power	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter - 18 VDC to 32 VDC @ 1.5 amps Max ID-2502 Display Unit - 18 VDC to 32 VDC @ 0.25 amps Max Control Units: F3849, F6555 - 5 VDC to 28 VDC @ 0.15 amps Max Output: 500 Watts peak minimum, 750 Watts peak typical
Temperature	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter - -54 °C to +71 °C ID-2502 Display Unit - -20 °C to +71 °C Control Units: F3849, F6555 - -20 °C to +71 °C
Altitude	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter - to 70,000 feet ID-2502 Display Unit - to 55,000 feet Control Units: F3849, F6555 - to 70,000 feet
Channels and frequency	252 (consisting of 126 X Mode and 126 Y Mode Channels) 126 Channels for Air-to-Air Ranging (MIL-STD-291C & NATO STANAG 5034) Receiver - 962 to 1213 MHz (All 252 X and Y Mode Channels) Transmitter - 1025 to 1150 MHz (All 252 X and Y Mode Channels) Air-to-air mode - 126 Channels (63 X Mode and 63 Y Mode)
Cooling and vibration	TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter & ID-2502 Display Unit - Conduction & Convection TACAN+ Receiver-Transmitter - DO-160F Cat U2FF1 Helicopter Vibration Levels
Range	Capability - 0.0-400 nm Tracking Capability Accuracy - ± 0.1 nm 0 to 399.9 nm Display Resolution ID-2502 - ±0.1 nm from 0.0 to 99.9, ± 1.0 nm from 100 nm to 400 nm ARINC 568 - 0.0 – 399 ± 0.1 nm 100 nm to 400 nm 0 nm to 1800 nm per hour
Receiver sensitivity	85 dBm minimum for range 79 dBm minimum for bearing
Ground speed	(ID-2502 display) 0 Kts to 999 Kts ± 1 Kt or 1% within 30 seconds
Time-to-station	(ID-2502 display) 0 Kts to 999 Kts ± 1 Kt or 1% within 30 seconds
Bearing	S485 Serial Digital format provides TACAN bearing for two stations simultaneously, Sine/Cosine AC, 7.9 volts peak*, 100 Ma Peak Low Level CDI Outputs (per ARINC 547) Course - 150 Mv per 10 degrees Deviation - ±10 degrees full scale up to 5 ea 1,000 Ohm loads Flag Outputs - Per ARINC 547 & ARINC 579 Low Level - 0.5 VDC, 1 Ma maximum, up to 4 ea 1,000 Ohm loads High Level - 28 VDC, 250 Ma maximum To/From Output - Up to three 200 Ohm loads Accuracy: 0.5 degrees digital; ± 1.0 degress analog – Radial; Track rate: 10 degrees/sec
Memory and acquisition time	Memory - 8 seconds nominal range and bearing Acquisition - 3 sec. to 5 sec. nominal range and bearing
ID tone	10 MW at 1350 Hz into a 600 Ohm load (Level Adjustable)
Station and system ident	Station - Up to 4 letters (Displayed on ID-2502) System - Automatic upon system turn on and background testing during operation
Distance outputs and flag	ARINC 568 Pulse Pair* (Output limited to 204.0 nm) 40 mv/nm* (Output limited to 199.9 nm) ARINC 568 Six wire* RS485 Serial Digital provides distance for all four stations simultaneously Flag - ARINC 568, 40 Millivolt (Output limited to 204.0 nm)
Air-to-air	Per MIL-STD-291C & NATO STANAG 5034
AIRNC 429 & MIL-STD 1553B	Input — Channeling Frequency Output — Distance, Ground Speed, Time to Station, Bearing, Channeling Frequency, Identification, Equivalent I.D.

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TACAN+ Tactical Airborne Navigation System