Deployment
The Netherlands and Bulgaria are about to start using LARA within their operational environment. The network and hardware setup for initial deployment are in place. It is foreseen to reach full operational capability within 2013.
Other countries that aim at a LARA implementation this year include Latvia, Ireland and Romania.
Parallel to the deployment of LARA, the LARA-PRISMIL Interface (LPI) is currently fine-tuned for use in the Netherlands. It is foreseen to combine system generated data extracts from the Dutch Mission Planning System and LARA to automatically generate the applicable KPI’s.
Software Development
Graffica is working on the upcoming version of LARA (V2.2). Parts of the new functionality have already been demonstrated to operational LARA Users and the LARA Team for an initial evaluation and feedback. The improvements focus mainly on the HMI and include an improved attention getter, advanced filtering options and a variety of additional display options to further enhance the operator experience and reduce workload. V2.2 is expected to be delivered during 2013.
V3 is foreseen to be released in 2014. The outline of the new functionality is already agreed, but changes and adaptations are foreseen after feedback of newly operational users and intensive experience with the V2.2 version.
As announced previously, prototype developments using the AIXM5.1 standard and B2B Services for automatic sharing and updating of static data and AUPs/UUPs between Network Management Systems and Airspace Management Systems have been successfully demonstrated within a SESAR Validation exercise (VP16) in December 2012. The CDRs availability / routes expansion logic has been isolated and made available as an ‘Adds-on’ for the production of AUPs/UUPs in ACA format within the current LARA operational software release.
Other Activities
The LARA User Group was held on November 14th 2013 at EUROCONTROL HQ in Brussels. Feedback of users on the latest software, implementation status and the release plan for the upcoming LARA Versions were the main agenda items being discussed.
The LARA User Group was preceded by a LARA Workshop hosted and held at ATCC Semmerzake “BELGARADAR”. The use of LARA in the operational environment of Belgian Air Operations was demonstrated and users had the opportunity to discuss future enhancements of the system.
On November 28th the LARA Steering Group held its initial meeting at EUROCONTROL’HQ. Management-level delegates of LARA Stakeholders convened to discuss the priorities of software enhancements, the release plan and potential sources for additional funding. Roger Fraikin (BE DEF representative on the board) has been selected as the Chairman of the LARA Steering Group.
The operational LARA System of the Belgian Cluster has been connected to the Maastricht ATC System during a Validation Exercise for SESAR 7.5.2 (VP17). The trial held in December 2012 was completed successfully, with LARA providing real-time- airspace activations to the Maastricht system, which were displayed on the Controller Working Positions. Very valuable conclusions could be drawn from the three-day live trial, which will be used to further improve LARA’s functionality to manage airspace activations via automated means.
The UK and the Network Manager will exercise a Real-Time-Simulation from 25th until 28th of February at EUROCONTROL HQ. The aim is to evaluate the potential of exchanging real-time airspace status nationally and on network level. LARA will be used to manage the real-time airspace status between various actors involved in the simulation.
In order to facilitate LARA Airspace data housekeeping, some visualization prototyping have been investigated by using the NASA World Wind 3D graphical library. It provides a ‘Google Earth’ type of 3D airspace visualisation that is not requiring any external web access connection. An early LWP client software implementing such 3D feature is available as LARA Adds-on software on simple request to lara@eurocontrol.int.
LARA was used in a SESAR validation trial end of 2012 to test the Pan-European Network Service (PENS). A series of tests were carried out between Rome, Madrid and Maastricht to evaluate the performance of PENS when communicating between different LARA clusters. The network and the LARA software were tested against security threats like cyber-attacks and alike. LARA has proven to run very stable in this Wide-Area-Network environment and sustained severe attempts to breach the systems integrity.
During the June 2013 Le Bourget Air Show, LARA will be used together with a CASSIDIAN OSS (Mission Planning System) and EUROCONTROL’s CIMACT to demonstrate future Mission Trajectory Management.
