Definition
A VORTAC is a single ground-based navigation facility that combines a civilian VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range), which provides magnetic bearing information, with the military TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) system, which provides distance information (DME) and its own bearing data. Civilian aircraft use the VOR portion for bearing and the TACAN's DME portion for slant-range distance, giving them both radial and distance from the same station. Military aircraft equipped with TACAN receivers use the full TACAN signal for both bearing and distance.
Plain English
A VORTAC is one ground station that does the job of two navigation aids at once. It tells civilian pilots which direction they are from the station and how far away they are, and it serves military aircraft at the same time.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument charts, STARs, enroute charts, and navigation instructions where fixes or routes are based on a named ground navigation station.
Derivation
The name is built from its two parts. VOR stands for VHF Omnidirectional Range — 'omnidirectional' meaning it transmits in all directions, so an aircraft anywhere around the station can pick up a bearing. TACAN stands for Tactical Air Navigation, originally developed by the military for tactical (field-deployable, mission-oriented) navigation. Combining the two into one facility avoided building separate civil and military stations.
Why Pilots Care
VORTACs supply both radial and DME information from one point, allowing accurate position fixes without needing separate facilities.
Analogy
Think of a VORTAC like a radio lighthouse. It does not show a picture of where you are, but your aircraft equipment can use its signal to tell direction and distance from that station.
Intuition Check
Do not read VORTAC as just another name for any navigation point. It is a specific ground radio facility, not a GPS-only waypoint.
Example Sentence 1
The arrival procedure required crossing the fix at 11,000 feet, defined as the 045 radial and 25 DME from the VORTAC.
Example Sentence 2
During the STAR, the aircraft passed directly over the VORTAC, confirming the distance readout matched the charted crossing point.