A bipartisan group of senators is introducing a bill to upgrade the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hurricane Hunter fleet, which is currently comprised of three aging aircraft. The bill would provide $2.5 billion for buying new aircraft and an additional $45 million per year to hire more pilots.

Upgrading the Fleet

The current fleet, which includes two WP-3D Orion turboprop planes and one heavily modified Gulfstream jet, is in need of replacement. The WP-3D Orion planes, nicknamed ‘Kermit’ and ‘Miss Piggy,’ are set to reach the end of their service life in 2030. The new bill would codify NOAA’s aircraft reconnaissance and research role into law, preventing the responsibilities from being transferred to another agency.

The legislation would also direct NOAA to acquire and use cutting-edge scientific equipment, including tail-mounted Doppler radars, to improve hurricane forecasts and atmospheric river projections. The data gathered from these flights is crucial in predicting the path and intensity of storms, and the new equipment would help to increase forecast accuracy.

Importance of the Hurricane Hunter Fleet

The Hurricane Hunter fleet plays a critical role in keeping tabs on tropical storms and hurricanes, flying in, above, and around them to gather data. The fleet has also been used to produce more reliable forecasts of atmospheric river events, which can cause significant damage and disruption. The new bill would help to ensure that the fleet is equipped to continue providing accurate and reliable forecasts, which are essential for protecting communities and saving lives.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.