Update on Military dimension of the plan
Environment: Airspace design is established in accordance with the FUA principles for strategic, pre-tactical and tactical levels.
The military training missions are conducted primarily within the restricted airspace associated with military aerodromes or, when necessary, at the temporary segregated airspace established at strategic level. This type of airspace usage results in direct and short transit routes to and from the established training areas. The average transit route extension between the military aerodromes and the training areas in Portugal is around 20NM.
Additionally, the average duration of the training missions, (not including the transit times) is one (1) hour, except during major exercises.
The number of major air exercises in Portugal in 2020 was reduced due to the COVID19 pandemic, and those that took place were downscaled, in both the number of missions and flight hours.
A close and active daily coordination between the military and the civil ANSP is, since long, the trademark of the Portuguese ASM. Also, the FUA coordination is supported by the Local and regional Airspace Management Tool (LARA), which enables the required level of civil military interoperability for the ASM process.
As a general assessment, the environmental impact of the military during the RP3 period is expected to be low, since the military training activity was reduced due to the pandemic, and the current airspace structure promotes the optimization of transit times between air bases and training areas, thus reducing the associated carbon footprint.
Capacity: As mentioned for the environment KPA, during the RP3 period the military air activity in Portugal was reduced due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
This, in conjunction with the general reduction of the commercial aviation activity, also associated with the COVID19 pandemic, has resulted in a very low impact of the military in the capacity KPA, particularly since 2019.
The military training activities in Portugal are conducted in accordance with the FUA principle, as mentioned in the environment KPA.
ASM is the main enabler to minimize the military impact on the capacity KPA, which is supported by the LARA tool, and is achieved through a close civil military cooperation at all the three FUA levels.
On a daily basis, the FUA level 2 and 3 is managed by the ASM cell which is jointly manned by civil and military personnel, co-located within the Lisbon ACC. This provides for a close liaison at both pre-tactical and tactical level.
Overall, the reduction of the military training activity, including exercises, should result in a low impact in capacity. Moreover, the activation of airspace under the FUA principle should not be included in any type of capacity reduction, since, in the current operational arrangements between the Portuguese civil ANSP and the military, the required blocks of airspace are only active between the actual time the military aircraft enter the area until the moment they vacate it, thus increasing capacity.
The current trend by some ANSP to include the use of FUA by the military as a “capacity reduction factor”, is not only contrary to the principles contained in Regulation 2150/2005, it is also detrimental to the effort put by the military in the mission planning phase when establishing the airspace daily requirements.
Military - related measures implemented or planned to improve environment and capacity
Environment: The military are updating the CNS equipment to be able to fly on more efficient routes, especially when operating as General Air Traffic. In this sense, several fleets are being modified to comply with the latest CNS requirements and new aircraft are scheduled for delivery soon.
Regarding airspace design, Portugal is currently undergoing a major restructuring of its airspace structures in order to improve its overall capacity and adequacy to both military and civil requirements.
Capacity: As already mentioned in the environment KPA, a major airspace restructuring is currently ongoing in Portugal, involving all the main stakeholders, in order to accommodate for both the military and civil requirements.
Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#6
No data available. LARA tool with the direct interface with the NM is only available from 2021 onwards.
Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#7
There are no CDRs at Lisboa FIR
Initiatives implemented or planned to improve PI#8
No data available