Definition
Navigation by reference to high frequency, ground-based Navigational Aids (other than ILS), in which the pilot manually selects courses to be flown using the navigation equipment fitted to the aircraft. System strategic navigation does not include radar vectoring or the use of RNAV systems.
Plain English
Flying along set courses by tuning in ground-based radio navigation stations and following the signals using the cockpit instruments, rather than being directed by ATC radar vectors or guided by GPS-based navigation.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in FAA traffic management discussions, especially when routes are changed to avoid weather, crowded airspace, or expected delays.
Derivation
Strategic' here comes from the Greek 'strategos,' meaning 'general' or 'overall plan.' In this context it points to the bigger-picture, pre-planned route the pilot navigates along, as opposed to short-term tactical guidance like radar vectors from a controller.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces pilot workload, improves fuel efficiency, and supports precise arrival times on busy routes.
Analogy
It is like a highway traffic center routing drivers around a major backup before they reach it, instead of each driver discovering the jam one at a time.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as ordinary cockpit navigation by the pilot. Here, “strategic” means broad advance planning by the air traffic system, and “system” means the wider airspace network, not just one aircraft’s equipment.
Example Sentence 1
The flight was conducted using system strategic navigation, with the pilot tracking VOR radials between fixes along the airway.
Example Sentence 2
During the preflight briefing the dispatcher confirmed that System Strategic Navigation would keep the flight clear of restricted airspace.