; (2) research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on next generation radar systems has largely focused on the development of a phased array radar for severe weather forecasting; (3) a phased array radar system can achieve precise measurements of precipitation rates and conditions through a rapid scan of the atmosphere to reveal critical weather thumbprints that point to the potential of severe weather; (4) though initially established through the joint collaboration between the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the potential for use of the phased array radar for severe weather observations has emerged as the focus; (5) lifetime operations and maintenance costs will be significantly reduced due to the simple, digital process for updating the digital array radar system