ATCRBS stands for which system?

• A. Automatic Terminal Control Radio Beacon System
• B. Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System
• C. Air Traffic Communication Radar Beacon System
• D. Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System

Answer: (D)

ATCRBS stands for Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System. This is the secondary surveillance component used by air traffic control. Ground radar sends interrogations to aircraft transponders, and the transponders reply with encoded information such as the aircraft’s identity and altitude. That exchange allows controllers to positively identify and track aircraft even when only the reflected secondary signal is visible, providing reliable location and altitude data. The term “radar beacon” highlights the combination of radar interrogation with the aircraft’s beacon transponder responding. This is distinct from primary radar, which doesn’t rely on a transponder. The other wording options mix in terms that don’t describe this system, whereas the accepted expansion is Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System.