New State-of-the-Art Digital Radar Laboratory Opens at the Technical Center

By Michael Prata

From left to right: Joseph Paone, Raytheon Corporation; Dr. Wilson Felder, Center Director; Scott Farnsworth, USAF; Nelson Barber, FAA; and Dot Buckanin, FAA, cut the ribbon at our new lab.

The Airport Surveillance Radar Model 11 (ASR-11) laboratory began operations at the Technical Center, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 2, 2007. It is located at the building 162 test site on Tilton Road. Throughout the nation, the ASR-11 is replacing current aging analog radars at more than 60 of the nation’s civilian airports as well as at numerous DOD airfields. The system detects aircraft position and weather conditions in the vicinity of civilian and military airfields. The ASR-11 will replace existing ASR-7, ASR-8 and counterpart military radars. These older radars, some up to 20 years old, are being replaced to improve reliability, provide additional weather data, reduce maintenance costs, improve performance, and provide digital automations for presentation on air traffic controller displays.

This effort is a joint partnership between the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense (DOD) and Raytheon Corporation.

A complete ASR-11 radar tower located in Stockton California, where Technical Center personnel completed initial OT&E testing.

The ASR-11 will interface with present and future automation systems to provide air traffic controllers with state-of-the-art aircraft and weather detection in the airport environment. Surveillance and weather data outputs are fully digital, which is necessary for interfacing with the new Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) and other digital automation systems. The ASR-11 also has the capability to produce simultaneous outputs in several formats compatible with FAA and DOD non-digital automation systems.

The ASR-11 radar located at the Technical Center will support joint FAA, DOD and Raytheon test efforts for the ASR-11 Advanced Signal Data Processor (ASDP) effort. The ASR-11 ASDP replaces the current signal data processor that will no longer be produced. The FAA, DOD and Raytheon will use the ASR-11 ASDP system for test and evaluation of the new processor. Raytheon engineers will use the system to conduct on-site Test and Evaluation. Both FAA and DOD engineers will witness this T&E. The FAA and DOD will conduct Operational Testing and Evaluation to verify that the new processor integrates with the air traffic automation and communications systems. Engineers from the ATC Surveillance Team located at the Technical Center will be responsible for all of the FAA ASR-11 testing conducted at the site.