What is TACAN?

• A. A Morse beacon used for civil navigation.
• B. A satellite-based navigation system.
• C. An electronic navigation system used by military aircraft, providing both distance and direction information.
• D. A ground-based radio beacon that provides only distance information.

Answer: (C)

TACAN is an electronic navigation aid used by military aircraft that provides both bearing and range to a ground station. The azimuth information gives you the direction to fly toward the station, while the distance (from the DME component) tells you how far you are from it, usually in nautical miles. This combination lets a pilot determine position relative to the station and navigate accurately. TACAN is ground-based and uses UHF signals, serving primarily military users; civilian pilots typically rely on VOR/DME or VORTAC instead. It isn’t a Morse beacon, nor satellite-based, and it doesn’t offer only distance—direction information is a key part of what it provides.