The solution addresses the risk of exploitation of military aviation data by developing a blueprint for selective encryption of ADS-B data, prioritising both data confidentiality and the open nature of ADS-B broadcasts. The solution revolves around several interlinked concepts:

• Selective encryption: Divide ADS-B messages into sensitive and non-sensitive segments, encrypting only the sensitive fields to maintain confidentiality while preserving system openness for civilian-military coordination.

• Lightweight encryption mechanism: Implemented at the transmitter side using existing ADS-B message fields (such as the AA field) without modifying the overall ADS-B protocol, ensuring backward compatibility.

• Secure key management: Generate, distribute, and protect encryption keys for military aircraft and authorized atc units, ensuring that only trusted actors can access sensitive data.

• Feasibility study: Assess technical viability, system performance impacts, and security implications of selective encryption under operational conditions.

• Prototype encryption scheme: Identify critical ADS-B data fields, select suitable cryptographic methods, and integrate the encryption layer into current transmission flows.

• Mock-up prototype: Demonstrate that selective encryption operates securely without degrading ADS-B performance or introducing vulnerabilities, validated through initial tests.

Objectives:

• Safeguard sensitive military aviation data without disrupting operational accessibility of ADS-B information.

• Balance security with civil-military interoperability needs.

• Create a scalable and secure key management infrastructure.

• Mature selective encryption strategies validated by previous studies while ensuring high system reliability and ease of adoption.