NAVEGACAO AEREA DE PORTUGAL - NAV PORTUGAL EPE

Their core work

NAV Portugal is Portugal's national Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), responsible for managing air traffic control across Portuguese airspace including oceanic routes over the Atlantic. In H2020, they contributed operational expertise to SESAR programme projects covering communication/navigation/surveillance systems, free-route airspace, SWIM infrastructure, and ATM master planning. Their role is that of a real-world operational authority validating and deploying research results in live airspace — they bring the operational environment where new ATM concepts get tested.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their initial SESAR Wave 1 engagement (2016–2019), NAV Portugal focused on en-route operations, free routing, flight object interoperability, and foundational CNS and SWIM infrastructure. In Wave 2 (2019–2023), they shifted toward more strategic and forward-looking topics: SESAR vision and performance ambitions in master planning, next-generation CNS technologies (LDACS, multilink, ATN-IPS), and expanded into airport-side operations with runway throughput and surface management. The progression shows a move from validating current operational concepts to preparing for the next generation of ATM infrastructure.

NAV Portugal is broadening from en-route airspace specialist to full-scope ATM modernization, increasingly engaging with next-generation communication technologies and airport-side operations.

How they like to work

NAV Portugal operates almost exclusively as a third party (8 of 9 projects), contributing operational validation rather than leading research. This is typical for ANSPs in SESAR — they provide the real airspace and infrastructure where concepts are tested. With 101 unique partners across 25 countries, they are deeply embedded in the European ATM research network, though their contribution is operational rather than managerial.

With 101 unique consortium partners across 25 countries, NAV Portugal is well-connected throughout the European ATM community. Their network spans virtually all SESAR participants — other ANSPs, avionics manufacturers, and ATM research centres across Europe.

What sets them apart

As Portugal's sole ANSP, NAV Portugal offers something no other Portuguese organization can: access to live Portuguese airspace (including strategically important Atlantic oceanic routes) for operational validation of ATM concepts. For consortium builders, they are the gateway to testing en-route, approach, and airport operations in Portuguese airspace under real conditions. Their consistent SESAR participation since 2016 signals institutional commitment and regulatory alignment with Single European Sky objectives.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SALSA
  Their only project as a funded participant (EUR 104,675), focused on satellite-based ADS-B for reducing separation minima — directly relevant to their oceanic airspace responsibilities.
• PJ14-W2 I-CNSS
  Covers the full next-generation CNS technology stack (LDACS, SATCOM, GBAS, multilink, ATN-IPS), representing the future of air-ground communications.
• PJ20-W2 AMPLE
  Addresses SESAR vision and performance ambitions at the strategic master planning level, showing NAV Portugal's engagement beyond pure operations into ATM policy and roadmap shaping.