In the context of Air Traffic Management Data Service Providers (ADSPs) in Europe, there are several technical, regulatory, operational, and commercial challenges. These challenges stem from the transition from traditional Air Navigation Services to a more modern, digital, and interoperable system under the Single European Sky (SES) initiative, especially with the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) program, promoting the concept of virtual centres and decoupled data services. Outsourcing ADSP services in Europe — a key element of the ADSP model — offers significant benefits, such as increased efficiency, scalability, and cross-border interoperability. However, realizing these benefits requires overcoming a series of interconnected regulatory, technical, operational, political, and cultural challenges (SESAR JU, 2025). The transition towards outsourcing ATM Data Services through the establishment of ADSPs in Europe marks a paradigm shift in Air Traffic Management (ATM). While technological enablers such as System Wide Information Management (SWIM), Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA), and virtualisation are increasingly mature, a series of multidimensional challenges must be addressed before large-scale implementation can occur (EUROCONTROL, 2021). Both operational and technical staff require re-skilling and training to function effectively within a data-centric, service-oriented ATM ecosystem. This paper provides comprehensive overview of current challenges that must be overcome before full implementation of ATM Data Service Providers is possible in Europe. The paper suggests that the outsourcing of ATM Data Services is not only a question of technological transformation but also a legal, operational, and cultural one. Addressing these challenges in a coordinated manner is essential to enable ADSPs to fulfil their potential as the backbone of a more resilient, interoperable, and efficient European Air Traffic Management system (EASA, 2020).
Boháčová et al. (Thu,) studied this question.