In order to provide the cost-effective, seamless world-wide air traffic management system required for to answer the traffic forecast, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has defined the concept known as CNS/ATM (Communication Navigation Surveillance / Air Traffic Management). It is based on a set of technologies aiming at providing a new supporting infrastructure for ATM, essentially based on the combination of a set of ground-based technologies and satellites.

Along with satellite-based navigation (GNSS), the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN) is the main cornerstone of CNS/ATM. It has been designed to allow seamless data communications all over the world between air traffic management organisations, airlines and the aircraft, in order for these three parties to better co-ordinate their actions.

The EGIS AVIA Datalink Gateway comes from the needs expressed by EUROCONTROL and the German Air Navigation Service provider to acquire the next generation of data link gateway systems. This Datalink Gateway is proposed as a key component of a Datalink infrastructure providing integrated ATN End System functions and FANS End System functions to accommodate already FANS1/A+ equipped aircraft. It permits air traffic controllers to exchange data link messages with pilots on data link equipped aircraft.

The EGIS AVIA Datalink Gateway will be integrated with the Air Traffic Management Systems installed at the EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Airspace Control Centre (MUACC) and the DFS En-Route centre at Karlsruhe.