The Terminal and Enroute Surveillance Technical Refresh Portfolio
The FAA mission is to promote airspace safety and the efficient use of the airspace. An important part of that mission is the maintenance, operation, and sustainment of ground-based radars within the National Airspace System, or NAS.
Ground-based radar systems continue to be required for air traffic surveillance for the FAA to:
- Detect aircraft not transmitting Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, due to improperly installed avionics, transponder failure, or non-equipped ADS-B aircraft
- Complement ADS-B surveillance coverage areas (in rule and non-rule airspace)
- Provide surveillance back-up service to ADS-B as needed for service resilience and safety
- Provide Air Traffic Control weather precipitation information until new solutions are deployed
The Terminal and En Route Surveillance Technical Refresh Portfolio, or TES TRP, validates, prioritizes, and manages projects necessary to sustain and maintain terminal and en route ground-based radar surveillance systems in the NAS.
The TES TRP is structured to provide streamlined acquisitions for sustainment of these systems by prioritizing and consolidating portfolio projects until the radars are divested or replaced. TES TRP is developing sustainment strategies and technical refresh projects addressing technology and hardware obsolescence. Without an approved airport surveillance radar replacement program, these systems will be required to operate beyond 2040. The TES TRP is a strategic investment initiative to address the continued sustainment needs of these systems until divested or replaced.
Status
TES TRP is currently considering 62 projects to continue sustainment of these vital radars through calendar year 2031. Projects are limited to replacement of line replaceable units, or sub-systems. Portfolio projects do not introduce new system requirements unless strictly incidental.
Program Components
Radar systems contained within the TES TRP include:
- Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator Model 5
- Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator Model 6
- Mode Select
- Airport Surveillance Radar Model 8
- Airport Surveillance Radar Model 9
- Airport Surveillance Radar Model 11
The quantity and timing of TES TRP procurements depend on:
- Radar Divestiture Program quantity and timing of radars divested
- The outcome and funding of the planned Airspace Non-cooperative Surveillance Radar Program
- Funding of planned Mode Select Beacon Replacement System procurements
- Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortage data and overall system health
The TES TRP program staff is actively engaged with the aviation industry through market surveys in relation to all six radar systems contained within the TES TRP scope. See the most recent Surveillance Services Industry Day presentations and the NAS Infrastructure Roadmaps for Surveillance Services for more information.