---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 8549"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "8549"
heading: "Hurricane hunter aircraft"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/8549"
units:
  - "Chapter 111 — Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — Federal Weather Coordination"
---

# §8549. Hurricane hunter aircraft

- (a) **Backup capability—** The [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) shall acquire backup for the capabilities of the WP–3D Orion and G–IV hurricane aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1) that is sufficient to prevent a single point of failure.
- (b) **Authority to enter agreements—** In order to carry out [subsection (a)](#a), the [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) shall negotiate and enter into 1 or more [agreements](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2) or contracts, to the extent practicable and necessary, with governmental and non-governmental entities.
- (c) **Future technology—** The [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) shall continue the development of Airborne Phased Array Radar under the United States Weather Research Program.
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** For each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020, support for implementing subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) is authorized out of funds appropriated to the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–25, title IV, § 413, Apr. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 114.)