Multi-Function Phased Array Radar (MPAR) - NOAA

Kurt D. Hondl
OFCM MPAR Working Group
07 March 2012

MPAR
FAA Deployment Scenarios
FAA Scenario #1
Only ASR & TDWR radars replaced by MPAR
FAA Scenario #2
Replace ASR, TDWR, and WSR-88D radars
FAA Scenario #3
Replace ASR, TDWR, WSR-88D, ARSR, & FPS radars
MPAR solution – 2 versions (both S-band)
Full-size MPAR – 8m array
Terminal MPAR – 4m array

MPAR
CONUS
FAA Deployment Scenarios
WSR-88D
FAA
Scenario #1
FAA
Scenario #2
FAA
Scenario #3

MPAR
R&D Plan & Time-Line

MPAR
NOAA Decision (2014?)
NOAA Needs to be involved to force both Dual Pol and
weather mission in MPAR
FAA has not acknowledged Dual Pol weather requirement
DOD may be interested in Dual Pol
Wind Turbine Clutter and tracking artillery/aircraft
NOAA decision on MPAR could come as early as 2014
Without NOAA, FAA would probably start making
decisions regarding requirements without NOAA’s input
NWS budget impact not until 2020 (or later)
NOAA also has decision to make on WSR-88D SLEP
May still require some WSR-88D SLEP funds even if NOAA
pursues MPAR development/deployment

MPAR
NOAA Strategies
Possible NOAA strategies for MPAR participation (2014?)
Strategy #1 -- NOAA “No Go”
NOAA could be on its own to SLEP the CONUS WSR-88Ds
Strategy #2 -- NOAA “Delayed Deployment”
Helps with development and maybe helps pay some
deployment costs
Replace WSR-88Ds towards the end of MPAR deployment
Strategy #3 -- NOAA “All-In”
Full partnership and deployment and O&M funding based
on requirements (similar to NEXRAD Tri-Agency)

ROC
WSR-88D Strategies
2012
You
are
Here
2014
IARD
2 -- Delayed Deployment

MPAR “No Go”
NOAA Strategy - 1
If NOAA isn’t involved in the Joint-Agency
agreement with FAA
FAA radars may likely be single-polarization
NOAA left to do all dual-pol phased array development
for future radar system (NEXRAD replacement)
Could wait years for funding and access to FAA singlepol
radar data and comms.
NOAA will have no say in how the radars are operated
or what weather sensing capabilities or data quality
concerns they will have
Government maintains 2 (or more) radar baselines
FAA maintains NSWRC (and WSR-88Ds)

MPAR “Delayed Deployment”
NOAA Strategy – 2
If NOAA participates in the MPAR Joint-Agency
agreement with FAA (with delayed WSR-88D
deployment)
Forces dual-polarization solution on radar network
NOAA shares development cost with other agencies
(OAR budget … no NWS impact until deployment)
Multiple deployment strategies and lengthy deployment
spreads out NWS budget over many years (10-20)
Would still require some SLEP funding for WSR-88D
But highly dependent on deployment schedule

MPAR “Delayed Deployment”
NOAA Strategy – 2
CONUS Deployment strategies for “delayed deployment”
28 WSR-88D radars could be shutdown due to placement of
MPARs to replace TDWRs
Potential cost savings on O&M / used for spare parts
42 WSR-88D radars don’t have any FAA ATC concern
NEXRAD Tri-Agency participation for en-route weather
Either DOD radars or radars in remote areas without major
airports
73 radars could change from smaller Terminal MPARs to larger
MPARs dependent on joint-agency deployment strategy
Need to know up front if NWS is participating so FAA
deployment strategy and budget accounts for larger MPARs
OCONUS (HI, AK, PR) WSR-88Ds owned by FAA

MPAR
NOAA Strategy – 2
WSR-88D network
143 CONUS (NWS & DOD)

MPAR
28 WSR-88Ds could
be replaced by MPAR
NOAA Strategy - 2
73 WSR-88Ds could be
upgraded to MPAR
where FAA plans TMPAR
42 WSR-88Ds
replaced on NWS
schedule
FAA Scenario #1
MPAR
Terminal MPAR

MPAR “All In”
NOAA Strategy – 3
NOAA fully participates in MPAR Joint-Agency
program
Shared cost of dual-polarization PAR development
Shared deployment costs – Joint ownership
Deployment costs spread over many years (15-20)
ConOps satisfies NWS mission requirements
Joint access to all MPAR data to meet NWS mission
Access to many additional FAA MPAR radar sites with
same data quality

MPAR Solution
MPAR – Current Network
TDWR
WSR-88D

MPAR Solution
MPAR – NOAA Gap-Filling Network
T-MPAR
NOAA T-MPAR
MPAR
Possible NOAA Gap-Filling radar locations

MPAR Solution
Joint-Agency MPAR
Benefits
Benefit from additional
FAA radar sites
Vastly improves radar
resources (4X WSR-88D)
Shared development and
deployment costs
Common technology for
large (MPAR) and small
radars (Terminal MPAR)
Common signal
processing and
algorithm platform for
MPAR & TMPAR
Issues
Dual-Polarization
calibration& X-pol
Cost?
Costs coming down
Multi-function
Ownership and
resource contention
May still need some
gap-filling radars for

MPAR
NOAA Decisions
MPAR Investment
R&D, Risk Reduction, Prototyping, Radar
Requirements for 2030
WSR-88D SLEP
What parts to SLEP? Can NEXRAD shutdown radars
after MPAR deployed? Can NEXRAD cannibalize
parts from decommissioned radars?
Deployment Strategies
Time-lines, Budget Impacts, Funding Environment,
Deployment Scenarios