Department of the Air Force:

National Defense

The Department of the Air Force is responsible for defending the United States through control and exploitation of air and space. Radars are heavily employed by the Air Force and many can be categorized as: land-based national air defense radars; ground surveillance radars; airborne surveillance and navigation radars; airborne fire-control radars; spaceborne radars; military ATC radars; and range safety, surveillance, and instrumentation radars. The following table describes the Air Force's inventory of radars:

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration: Space Research

NASA conducts flight research for the solution of problems of flight within and outside the Earth's atmosphere and develops, constructs, tests, and operates aeronautical and space vehicles. It also conducts Earth exploration experiments and operations for Earth observation and aids in resource monitoring, hazard monitoring, and other benefits to the global community. Finally, NASA conducts activities required for the exploration of space with manned and unmanned vehicles and arranges for the most effective utilization of the scientific and engineering resources of the United States with other nations engaged in aeronautical and space activities for peaceful purposes.

Radars are one of its chief tools supporting NASA's mission described above. Its radars almost cover the entire spectrum of frequency bands for radar operations and can generally be grouped as: range safety, surveillance, and instrumentation (telemetry) radars; airborne transponders; airborne search and navigation radars; airborne and ground weather radars; radar altimeters; maritime search and surveillance radars; space transportation system (STS, space shuttle) navigational radars; planetary radars; STS landing system radars; airborne surveying radar altimeters; cloud detection and profiling radars; aircraft radiometer beacons; ocean wave, wind, and vortex research radars; spaceborne SAR's, altimeters, scatterometers, precipitation and cloud profile radars. The table below describes NASA's inventory of radars:

Department of Commerce:

Environmental Monitoring

The DOC has many different bureaus that encourage, serve, and promote the nation's international trade, economic growth, and technological advancement. The NOAA works to improve our understanding and benefits of the Earth's physical environment and oceanic resources. NOAA is the largest user of radars in the DOC and its radars support the National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Weather Service, and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. NOAA's radars can be categorized as: land-based search and surveillance radars; land-based radionavigational radars; weather radars; shipborne surveillance and navigational radars; airborne surveillance and navigational radars; aircraft weather radars; radar altimeters; coastal and marine sanctuaries surveillance radars; and radar speed gun. The following table depicts the variety of radars employed by the DOC:

Department of Energy:

Science and Technology Research

The DOE is a leading science and technology agency whose research supports our nation's energy security, national security, environmental quality, and contributes to a better quality of life for all Americans. Quite an array of radiocommunications is used to facilitate many of the DOE's programs in its laboratories or at its many test ranges. Many radars are employed by DOE to support its mission at its many test ranges, sites, and facilities. Radars are used for perimeter monitoring; motion sensing; weather research and environmental monitoring; security surveillance; terrain mapping and air sampling; weapon system testing and flight test tracking; joint programs with other agencies; and a variety of research and development programs. Radars can be generally categorized as intrusion detection radars; fixed and mobile search and surveillance radars; range safety, surveillance, and instrumentation radars; aircraft radionavigation and weather radars; mobile meteorological radars; speed gun radars; wind profiler radars; airborne radar transponders; atmospheric and cloud research radars. The table below provides an inventory of the various radars employed by DOE:

U.S. Department of Agriculture:

Supporting Production of Agriculture

The USDA, in addition to developing and expanding the markets of agricultural products, works to enhance the environment and to maintain production capacity by helping landowners protect the soil, water, forests, and other natural resources. The Departments's research findings benefit all Americans. Radar devices are used by the Department to support its mission areas of research and the management of natural resources and the environment. Its inventory of radars includes airborne weather radars, maritime surveillance radars, entomological radars, and pulse radars and are described in the following table:

Department of the Interior:

Land and Resources Management

The DOI manages the nation's public lands and mineral resources, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and western water resources. Radars aid the DOI in its land and resource management by providing position location determination in support of geological survey activities: coastal waterway, lake, and river mapping and other related survey activities. Additionally, radar speed detection devices assist park managers with maintaining vehicle speed detection at various national parks. The following table describes the various radars and their operating frequency bands:

Department of Justice:

Law Enforcement

The Department of Justice (DOJ) plays a significant role in protecting American citizens through it efforts for effective law enforcement, crime prevention, and crime detection. In doing so, the Department employs a variety of radiocommunications equipment including radar devices. Radars are employed by the various DOJ agencies for radar altimeters, vehicle tracking, and crime scene investigations. The following table describes the functions and frequency bands employed the DOJ.

National Science Foundation:

Research and Testing

The NSF promotes the progress of science and engineering through the support of research and education programs. The NSF employs radars for wind and atmospheric testing, radar altimeter aboard the National Center for Atmospheric Research aircraft, range safety (search radars), and for the study of objects beyond the Moon. An inventory of the types of radars employed by the NSF is described in the table below:

Department of Treasury:

Law Enforcement

One of the basic functions of the Department of Treasury is law enforcement. Land-based, airborne, and shipborne surveillance and acquisition radars are used by various Treasury agencies to execute their mission. Also, radars are used for automatic vehicle identification. The table below lists some of the radar bands employed by radars of the Treasury Department.

Veterans Administration, US Postal Service, Health and Human Services, General Services Administration:

These agencies employ radars for vehicle speed detection on their various facilities.

Endnotes: Chapter 4

1. Department of Navy email comments from Mr Bruce Swearingen, Director, Naval Electromagnetic Spectrum Center, at 2. (See email from swearinb@navemscen.navy.mil, March 24, 2000 on file at NTIA).