ACSS, an L-3 & Thales Company, announced today that its XS-950 Mode S Transponder and T3CAS® Surveillance System have been certified by Airbus to DO-260B, the highest level of ADS-B Out capability. This certification of DO-260B capability for the A320 family of jets comes ahead of global mandates for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B).

ADS-B Out mandates call for all affected aircraft categories operating in the U.S. to be equipped with compliant Mode S transponders by no later than January 2020. New aircraft flying in Europe must be equipped by June 2016 and all in-service aircraft categories that are impacted need to be upgraded by June 2020.

“To date, ACSS is the only Mode S supplier with certified DO-260B transponders for A320 aircraft,” said Terry Flaishans, president of ACSS. “With the ADS-B Out mandates approaching, it was important we provide Airbus with transponders that are already compliant, so their airline customers won't need to worry about the 2020 mandate on these new airliners.”

Airbus has also certified the DO-260B-capable XS-950 as part of surveillance packages featuring ACSS's TCAS 2000 and T2CAS® for A320s.

The T3CAS is an advanced integrated surveillance system developed by ACSS, featuring a Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS), and Mode S Transponder with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out transmission capability – all in a single unit. The XS-950 is a dedicated Mode S product that became aviation's most advanced Mode S transponder in 2011 when it was the first transponder certified to DO-260B readiness. DO-260B enables ADS-B transmission of more information about an aircraft's position, speed and intent.