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Page updated October 28, 2007 |
The HAARP Aircraft Alert Radar
The HAARP Gakona Facility employs a Faruno S-Band radar to detect all
aircraft that may be in the vicinity of the facility. The radar is
used to alert the control operator during research operations so that
any high power transmitters on-site can be shut down. This Aircraft
Alert Radar can detect planes at altitudes as low as 500 feet at 8
miles. As a supplement and to improve detection performance, the radar
installation uses a modified TCAS system to interrogate planes within
range that carry transponders. The resulting automatic replies allow
the plane's altitude to be shown on the display console adjacent to
the normal radar return. In the photo to the left, the taller mast supports the main rotating antenna for the S-Band radar. The smaller mast supports a four monopole array used by the modified TCAS equipment to interrogate transponders in the vicinity and to determine the bearing for any responses. A larger image of the radar is available (34 K jpg). The shelter shown in the image is used to house the S-Band transmitter, SSR PC-RP™ radar processor and TCAS system. Processed information is sent from the trailer to the Operations Center and the control operator position by a fiber optic link. A large UPS is also located in the trailer to protect the equipment from power interruptions. Some of the specifications for this radar include:
The display console for the radar system is driven by a standard workstation with software that allows a map overlay and custom setting of range rings. The display console is installed at the main control operator's position. The radar system was installed by BAE Systems Advanced Technologies and the Naval Air Warfare Center (PAX River) with assistance from Oceantronics Corp. during July and August 2003. |
