Terrain Masking Low Level Flight
The German A400M Military Transport Aircraft will be equipped with a highly efficient low-level flight control system for their tactical missions.
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EADS Military Air Systems is developing the Terrain Masking Low Level Flight (TMLLF) system. Using this, transport aircraft can fly extremely low – in good visibility at only 150 feet – and are thus better protected against enemy threats when passing through hilly terrain. In poor visibility, a flight altitude of 500 feet is possible when an automatic flight control system is used. The purpose of the TMLLF system is to reduce risks on missions over enemy territory. This is achieved by the processing and presentation of the tactical situation and a consistent process chain from flight path planning through to implementation. The system operates autonomously, automatically planning the optimum route. In doing so, it calculates how territory in which the A400M is visible to enemy sensors can be circumnavigated. The system defines the optimum route, which is adapted to the topography. To enable the aircraft to follow the optimized trajectories, EADS Military Air Systems has developed an autopilot which is linked to a flight director and an automatic thrust controller. All the information required for the planning of a safe route is collected and processed in such a way that the crew can immediately recognize how the TMLLF system is directing the A400M around hazardous areas.
