ARSR-3

 Long-Range Search Radar Set - A long-range ground search radar set built by Westinghouse for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). First deployed in July 1978.

ARSR-3 Search Radar
The ARSR-3 was an long-range L-band (1215- 1400 MHz) air-route-surveillance radar built by Raytheon for the FAA. Twenty six ARSR-3s were deployed by the FAA between 1978 and FY1980. The first installation took place at the FAA Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City in July 1978 and they delivered the last one in FY1980.

The ARSR-3 was used as a surveillance system to detect azimuth and range of en-route aircraft operating between FAA terminal areas. The ARSR-3 was dual channeled with the ability to run both channels at the same time in a diplex mode. Each channel used a klystron that providing 5MW peak power with 3.3kW average power. When dipexed the two channels were shifted in frequency and could be staggered about a set of prfs. When optimized, the diplex mode could result in a detection range of 240 nm.

ARSR-3 Upgrades
In FY85 a contract to upgrade 64 FAA tube type en route radar sets was awarded to United Technologies/Norden Systems as the first of the modifications to improve maintainability and reduce costs.

By 1990 the FAA indicated that the ARSR-3 included the common digitizer functionality and did not require a separate CD-2 Common Digitizer. A separate modification was required to implement three level weather reporting on the ARSR-3.

Between 1996 and 1999 nine of the operational ARSR-3s were replaced with the newer ARSR-4 radars.

By 2015 all of the remaining operational ARSR-3s had been further transformed into Common Air-Route-Surveillance (CARSR) radars with 9200S Antennas and additional solid state components that would extend the supportable life of the set into 2025.

See Also:
 * CARSR
 * ARSR-4
 * US Radar Sets
 * FAA En-Route Radar Site Maintenance Training

Sources:
 * , page 88.
 * Forcast International - ARSR-3 LRR - Archived 8/96
 * FAA - Recommendation on Transition from Primary/Secondary Radar to Secondary-Only Radar Capability.
 * Three Level Weather For ARTCC Displays Project Implementation Plan, FAA Order 7110.14A, 14 Feb 1990.

Links:
 * Radomes - Radar Equipment
 * GAO - FAA Long Range Radar ARSR-3
 * Attachment 4: Typical Legacy Site Infrastructure
 * NTIA Report 82-92 - Output Tube Emission Characteristics of Operational Radars