United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Accounting and Information Management Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-05-31 monographic deposited born digital 54 p. GA 1.13:AIMD-95-132 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132 P0b002ee18037f2fc f:ai95132 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132 AIMD-95-132 Weather forecasting Radar equipment Air traffic control systems Data transmission operations Avionics Interagency relations Computer networks Storms Warning systems Federal procurement NWS Next Generation Weather Radar FAA Next-Generation Weather Radar Program NWS Automated Surface Observing System National Weather Radar Network Chapter Report AIMD Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the joint acquisition of the Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) by the National Weather Service (NWS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Air Force, focusing on: (1) changes in acquisition and deployment plans; (2) the feasibility and cost of purchasing additional radars; (3) the Air Force contribution to the national NEXRAD network; and (4) the availability of Air Force and NWS NEXRAD.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the three agencies reduced their original deployment plan from 175 radars to 163 radars because of changes in agency requirements, funding limitations, and military base closures; (2) the National Research Council (NRC) is studying the adequacy of proposed NEXRAD coverage; (3) NWS and the Air Force plan to deploy their radars by the end of fiscal year (FY) 1996, but FAA plans to delay deploying five of its radars until at least FY 1997 because of budget constraints; (4) because the option for purchasing additional radars is unpriced and subject to negotiation, additional NEXRAD could cost three times more than units currently under contract; (5) NWS has unrestricted access to Air Force NEXRAD, which provide essential backup, primary, and supplemental radar coverage; (6) all three agencies signed an agreement to operate all NEXRAD to satisfy the integrated needs of all three agencies; (7) Air Force radar availability data, which may be unreliable and overstated, indicate that some of its radars are performing below the tri-agency system availability requirements; and (8) NWS does not calculate operational availability for each NEXRAD site and it does not know if sites are meeting availability requirements. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132/html/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132/pdf/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132.pdf GAO/AIMD-95-132 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-AIMD-95-132 Chapter Report GAO/AIMD-95-132; Weather Forecasting: Radar Availability Requirement Not Being Met; Weather forecasting Radar equipment Air traffic control systems Data transmission operations Avionics Interagency relations Computer networks Storms Warning systems Federal procurement NWS Next Generation Weather Radar FAA Next-Generation Weather Radar Program NWS Automated Surface Observing System National Weather Radar Network Public Law 102-567