Definition
A ground-based navigation facility that combines a VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) and a TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) at a single location, providing co-located azimuth (bearing) information from the VOR component and distance information from the TACAN component. Civil aircraft use the VOR signal for bearing and the DME portion of the TACAN signal for distance; military aircraft can use both the azimuth and distance functions of the TACAN.
Plain English
A single ground station that gives pilots both their direction from the station and their distance to it. It's really two systems — one civilian, one military — built side by side so they share the same location and serve everyone.
Context Anchor
Seen on aeronautical charts, instrument procedures, and navigation equipment as a ground station, often labeled as a VORTAC.
Derivation
VORTAC is a portmanteau of VOR and TACAN. VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) sends out signals on VHF radio in every direction so a pilot can determine which radial they are on. TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) is a military system that provides both bearing and distance on UHF frequencies. Combining them at one site means civilian and military aircraft can navigate to the same point using whichever equipment they have.
Why Pilots Care
Supplies reliable bearing and distance data from one location, allowing precise position fixes and efficient routing without needing separate facilities.
Intuition Check
“Range” here does not mean how far the airplane can fly on fuel. It refers to a radio navigation aid that gives direction information around a ground station.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor pointed out that the next fix on the airway was defined off a VORTAC, so they would have both a radial and a distance to track it.
Example Sentence 2
During the cross-country flight the crew used the VHF Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air Navigation facility to update their position every ten minutes.