Development of OPUP

by Kurt Hondl

NSSL has started the development of the Open Systems Principal User Processor (OPUP). This system is being developed on behalf of the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) and will replace the WSR-88D Principal User Processor (PUP) hardware that was deployed with the WSR-88D. The OPUP project plan is geared to complete the development effort and begin deployment during the year 2000.

The Air Force is re-engineering its weather operations and consolidating its forces into operational weather squadrons (otherwise known as regional hubs). There will be four regional hubs in the continental U.S. Each hub will be responsible for forecast and warning products for military installations in their multi-state area of responsibility.

The current PUP system was designed for an associated connection to one WSR-88D Radar Product Generator (RPG). The current PUP only provides a display device for a single user. These restrictions are not functional in the re-engineered AFWA operational environment.

The OPUP is being designed to meet the needs of the AFWA. Their new operating environment calls for a regional hub to access up to 20 RPGs in their area of responsibility. There will also be multiple forecasters who will require access to radar data at their individual workstations.

The OPUP system is being designed to re-use the software infrastructure libraries already developed by the Open System RPG (ORPG) development team. This will provide a consistent design across all the open system projects.

The graphic tablet and puck of the current PUP will be replaced by a windows Graphical User Interface (GUI). The design of the product display GUI will take concepts from the AWIPS and WDSS display systems. Radar mosaic displays will also be available with OPUP as data from multiple WSR-88Ds will be available in the AFWA regional hubs.

For more information contact Kurt Hondl at: hondl@nssl.noaa.gov