The National Weather Radar Testbed (Phased-Array)

The WSR-88D has been in the field now for over 12 years and it is time to look at what additional technology might be applied to improving this important forecast and warning tool. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Severe Storms Laboratory has combined efforts with the United States Navy's Office of Naval Research, Lockheed Martin Corporation, the University of Oklahoma's Electrical Engineering Department and School of Meteorology, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the National Weather Service's Radar Operational Center and the Federal Aviation Administration's Technical Center to build a $25 million national phased array radar testbed in Norman, Oklahoma.

In this paper, we will briefly describe the potential benefits of such a testbed and the testbed components and capabilities to be available for use in the spring of 2003.