New technology on the horizon

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
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A good friend of mine who is a ADSB Tech at DFW just shot me this video. Its a next generation tracking +. (404 - Page Not Found)| Raytheon

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A lot of hype without much substance. Sounds like a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’ approach. Good luck in taking the disparate requirements of DoD and the FAA and coming up with an efficient solution. Another F35 on the horizon?

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They’ve already done that. It’s called ASR-11 DASR. (Digital Airfield Surveillance Radar)
The one I maintain was commisioned in 2012. ASR-11s are used by the FAA as well as the DoD.
The first DASR was accepted by the Air Force in 2002.

The DASR’s predecessor, the ASR-9, was also (and in some locations, still is) used by the DoD and FAA.

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I wasn’t thinking about military ATC, more about the other needs of the DoD.

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Well, the main use that’s common to both FAA and DoD is ATC.
For other needs, the DoD has radar systems designed for the specific job. e.g. PAR and Weather.

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Well, fact is that it has to be done by 2024. Mobile phone users have priority per government:
https://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=21734

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Difficult to say.

The article doesnt actually say mobile phone users have priority. Rather those devices (as well as wireless internet services) are creating a demand for spectrum space.

In addition to that, the FAA is modernizing existing ASR-11 radars and NWS is well into their Service Life Extension Program of moderizing the current network of WSR-88D Doppler Weather radar systems.
NWS expects to operate the 88Ds till at least 2030.

The common factor between both programs is the operating frequencies of both systems remain unchanged. (ASR-11 operates at 2.4 - 2.9 GHz, WSR-88D at 2.7 to 2.9 GHz)

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The devices don’t create any demand by themselves. I know, I have an old phone in a drawer, it really does nothing…

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OK. Fair enough. The use of those devices and services is creating a demand for spectrum space.

My main point being the article doesn’t say anything about those services having priority.

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Well… the first thing that FCC says (see my link above) in that is this:

Background:
Demand for space on the radio spectrum is increasing due to technological innovations such as 4G mobile services and the rapid expansion of wireless internet services.

To me means that the whole reason for the FCC action to free spectrum is this increase in demand from “4G mobile services”.

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Indeed it is.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean those services have been given priority.

Since the freed space is to be auctioned off, and the telecom / ISP companies have the money, it’ll
likely go to them. But it’s still a stretch to say they’ve been given priority. Anyone who can pay for it
can wind up as its new owner. But, money talks. BS walks, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if it winds up as telecom / ISP space.