Apparatus and method for an aircraft navigation system having improved mission management and survivability capabilities

The method of assisting navigation of an aircraft on a mission, said method comprising the steps of:

• by means of navigational equipment, identifying an approximate position of said aircraft relative to a terrain map, said terrain map having at least digitized terrain elevations stored as a functions of global coordinates;
• comparing terrain profiles determined by measurements of a distance of said aircraft from terrain over which said aircraft is flying with terrain map profiles to determine a position of said aircraft relative to said terrain map;
• displaying a presentation of a local region of said terrain map with an icon of said aircraft positioned on said presentation in said position of said aircraft relative to said terrain map;
• and
• implementing said presentation to provide a visual indication of terrain map features which currently provide a threat to aircraft security.

A navigation system for assisting operators of an aircraft in executing complex mission objectives in hostile territory, said navigation system comprising:

• an aircraft-to-terrain distance measuring device;
• a terrain map storing digitized terrain elevation data as a function of terrain map coordinates, said terrain map including threats to said aircraft;
• a terrain aided navigation system coupled to said distance measuring device and to said terrain map for determining a position of said aircraft relative to said terrain map coordinates by comparing terrain profiles measured by said aircraft-to-terrain distance measuring device to terrain profiles of said terrain map;
• and
• a display unit coupled to said terrain aided navigation system and to said terrain map for displaying an icon of said aircraft on a presentation of a region of said terrain map, an icon location being determined by said terrain aided navigation system, said presentation including visual indications of threats to said aircraft in a neighborhood of a flight path of said aircraft.