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, which is being led by Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), would provide $2.5 billion for the purchase of 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 an upgrade. The planes are used to fly into hurricanes and tropical storms to gather data, which is then used to improve forecast accuracy. However, the age of the planes has created issues, with mechanical problems causing scheduled reconnaissance missions to be scrapped at the last minute.
The new bill would require NOAA to have backup aircraft on hand for each mission and would also direct the agency to continue to acquire and use cutting-edge scientific equipment, including tail-mounted Doppler radars. The bill would also codify NOAA’s aircraft reconnaissance and research role into law, which would help prevent those responsibilities from being transferred to another agency.
Importance of the Fleet
The Hurricane Hunter fleet plays a critical role in helping to predict the path and intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms. The data gathered from these flights is fed into computer models, which are used to predict the eventual path and intensity of these storms. This information is crucial for helping communities prepare for and respond to these events.
As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, it is essential that NOAA has the resources it needs to continue to provide accurate and reliable forecasts. The upgrade of the Hurricane Hunter fleet is a critical step in ensuring that the agency can continue to fulfill its mission.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
