The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is asking the aviation industry to help shape the implementation of System Wide Information Management (SWIM), a new information management system considered central to the UK’s move towards more data-driven and interoperable air traffic management.
The public consultation, launched on 6 October 2026, focuses on how SWIM should be implemented across the UK and will remain open until 6 January 2027. Responses will contribute to the country’s wider Airspace Modernisation Strategy and give industry its first formal opportunity to influence the regulator’s approach.
SWIM is designed to establish the standards, infrastructure and governance necessary for aviation organisations to exchange information securely and consistently. The system is intended to provide a common framework for sharing aviation data, much in the same way that Bluetooth compatibility allows different electronic devices to communicate with one another.
Building a common information environment
The CAA says the need for reliable information sharing is becoming increasingly important as the aviation environment grows more complex. Crewed and uncrewed aircraft are expected to operate within the same airspace, increasing the need for operational information to be accurate, timely, appropriately assured and interpreted consistently by different users.
Under the proposed approach, SWIM would allow organisations to publish, discover, access and use aviation information more effectively. The regulator expects this to support better-informed operational decisions while improving interoperability and creating opportunities for further innovation across the aviation sector.
The CAA is therefore seeking constructive feedback from stakeholders on the proposed direction, including the components that will be required and the guidance industry needs as it moves towards a fully digital and information-centric aviation ecosystem.
Further development planned through 2028
The consultation is also intended to support the continued development of the SWIM Implementation Framework. The CAA will refine the framework through further consultation, engagement with stakeholders and lessons learned during implementation, with publication targeted for 2028.
Before that, the regulator plans to publish the SWIM Technical Architecture and Operational Scenarios for crewed users in 2027.
The current consultation represents the first formal stage in the UK’s process for determining how the new information management system will be introduced. Industry responses submitted by 6 January 2027 will help inform the future policy direction and implementation of SWIM as part of the UK’s broader effort to modernise its airspace.
