The use of phased array radars at civilian airports

Phased array technology offers the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the opportunity to significantly reduce the life cycle cost of surveillance coverage at major airports while at the same time significantly increasing the capacity of airports during inclement weather. During the past 6 years the FAA has been leading a research program called the Terminal Area Surveillance System (TASS) to determine the feasibility of using a phased array radar at airports. This paper discusses the progress to date. The three basic configurations considered are a fixed four face and a single and two face rotating arrays. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Additional research is needed to optimize the performance and cost