Design and implementation of Long Range Radar service life extension

This paper presents an overview of a service life extension program that is being applied to the continental US Long Range Radar (LRR) network. Initially the architecture of the system is presented and key components selected for upgrade are identified. In addition to hardware upgrades innovative signal processing algorithms have also been added. The LRR consists of 68 radars that are used for the joint purposes of air traffic control and surveillance. The upgraded radar consists of a solid state transmitter, a state-of-the-art receiver and signal data processor. With advanced signal processing algorithms, the upgraded radar system provides 200 nmi coverage in natural interference environment while minimizing the false alarms. The radar has also been upgraded to enhance weather detection performance.