The Airfield Automation System (AFAS) is sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Flight Standards Agency (AFFSA). This program equips Air Force ATC facilities worldwide. These facilities include:

  • Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT)
  • Radar Approach Control (RAPCON)
  • Ground Controlled Approach (GCA)
  • Radar Final Control (RFC)

AFAS equips over 700 workstations at 70 Air Force and Air National Guard Bases supporting controller missions. These bases are located throughout the US, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. At various sites, AFAS links ATC with Airfield Management (AM), Squadron Operations, Fire/Rescue, Security Forces, and Command Posts.

AFAS operates SAI’s latest IDS5 software product suite and external interfaces for all AFAS locations.  AFAS provides a tremendous resource tool for air traffic controllers, airfield management (AM), and other base organizations, providing a common solution for airfield data display and dissemination for all communicating facilities.

AFAS is the designated display platform for weather data integrated from the

  • New Tactical Forecast System (N-TFS) and the
  • Air Force/Army Joint Environmental Toolkit (JET) programs.

Other interfaces supplied include

  • Flight Data Input Output (FDIO)
  • Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS)
  • IDS Text Interface for information sharing with FAA ACE-IDS or IDS4 systems.

At many locations, IDS5 interfaces bi-directionally with the StarCaster®-ATIS (digital ATIS).

IDS5 at the Alpena ANG RAPCON


The Alpena IDS5 system combines manually entered data with ASOS and FDIO external interfaces and is comprised of multiple workstations located in the tower, RAPCON and airfield management.

AFAS News Briefs

USAF Deploys IDS5 DigitalATIS across the Globe
WOODSTOCK, Georgia (February 2, 2010) – Systems Atlanta, Inc. (SAI) is delivering IDS5 Digital‐ATIS (DATIS) systems to air traffic control facilities at seven (7) Air Force and Air National Guard locations worldwide. Locations include bases in the U.S., Europe, and Pacific.
Full Press Release
IDS5 Deployment for Entire Air Force via AFAS II
WOODSTOCK, Georgia (January 12, 2010) – Systems Atlanta, Inc. (SAI) has contracted with the United States Air Force (USAF) for the Air Field Automation System 2 (AFAS II). SAI will provide AFAS software, training, and engineering services (inhouse and on‐site) for approximately 140 control positions as part of the AFAS II deployment.
Full Press Release
AFAS Support Contract Renewed with SAI
Tinker AFB, OK (December 31, 2009) – Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency (HQ AFFSA) has contracted with Systems Atlanta, Inc. (SAI) for Airfield Automation System (AFAS) support assistance for calendar year 2010.
Full Press Release
Successful AFAS Expansion at Selfridge Air National Guard Base
MOUNT CLEMENS, Michigan (February 26, 2009) - The Airfield Automation System (AFAS) at Selfridge Air National Guard Base (ANGB) was recently expanded to include 12 different base agencies. To date, this is the most diverse AFAS footprint on a U.S. Air Force Base.
Full Press Release

AFAS/IDS5 Screen Captures