X Band Radar Forced to Return to Hawaii

A powerful floating radar that will be part of the U.S. national missile defense system returned to Hawaii for repairs only a few days after it departed from Pearl Harbor for Alaska. The system was forced to return to Hawaii because of damage caused by water leaks and damage to its communication antennas. The massive system was built on an converted oil drilling rig. It's easy to spot because it is topped by a giant white ball. The radar is so powerful it can detect baseball-size objects thousands of miles away. When the system reaches Alaska it will float in the water near the town of Adak, about 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage. Here are some photos I took in January of 2006:

Photos of the Radar System in Pearl Harbor