NOAA's Hurricane Hunters currently uses three aircraft, two made by Lockheed Martin and one by Gulfstream, for traversing through, around and above hurricanes, the agency says.
The NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters have been actively flying missions for Hurricane Milton, the intense storm swirling toward Florida’s west-central coast. The National Hurricane Center, which uses data from NOAA and Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter flights, said in a Tuesday public advisory that the storm will come onshore Wednesday night in west-central Florida. It became a Category 5 storm again Tuesday after briefly weakening.
The NOAA’s two Lockheed WP-3D Orion planes feature a "unique array of scientific instrumentation, radars and recording systems for measurements of the atmosphere, the earth and its environment," the NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations has said.
Like the NOAA Hurricane Hunters, they, too, have been investigating Hurricane Milton through missions. The NOAA has new aircraft slated to enter its Hurricane Hunter fleet. In late September, the agency said it had given Lockheed Martin a contract that "covers acquisition of two C-130J Hercules aircraft and the NOAA-specific design efforts, with options for additional aircraft.
jet that NOAA is receiving before that one will take over for its current Gulfstream IV-SP in 2025. "The acquisition of these highly capable aircraft is a major step forward in the recapitalization of NOAA’s aircraft fleet, which forecasters, researchers and decision-makers depend on for live-saving information," NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and Marine and Aviation Operations Vice Adm. Nancy Hann said of the two G550s.
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