The planes the government is using to monitor Hurricane Irma are at opposite ends of the tech spectrum

pulse

September 10, 2017 8:25 AM

NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations has been busy lately, keeping an eye on Harvey and Irma.

The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations has been busy lately, keeping an eye on hurricanes Harvey and Irma in a devastating early 2017 season.

NOAA operates three aircraft that it uses to study and predict the patterns and severity of hurricanes while they're still far from land.

The planes have different jobs — and represent completely different types of technology, from different eras.

NOAA has a pair of WP-3D Orions obtained brand new from Lockheed in ... the mid-1970s. They were recently overhauled to extend their operational lives.

NOAA also has a Gulfstream IV-SP jet. It was acquired in 1994, and likely cost about $35 million.

Like the Orions, the Gulfstream IV operates out of . The G-IV has been superseded by some snazzier jets in the Gulfstream fleet, but it's still a hot rod of the skies.

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