Occasionally, AMU/MLB has been directly tasked to provide operational evaluations of advanced hardware/software technology. This tasking is not subject to the same rigorous and critical process by which the AMU/KSC is annually tasked.  Rather, this tasking originates through requests from among the collaborative tri-agency members, from the AMU/KSC, from the NWS Southern Region, or from local determinations.  The AMU at WFO MLB provides man hours if a task is likely to benefit local operations, either immediately, or up to several years in the future. These evaluations become part of a full AMU assessment which document the operational usefulness to NASA/USAF/NWS forecasters. If results are positive, steps are initiated to "commission" the technology for use by forecasters.  Finally, written guidelines for operation are provided by the AMU/MLB, as well as occasional hands-on training sessions.

Below are some of the direct tasks which AMU/MLB has assisted with over recent years:

• The Warning Decision and Support System (WDSS) is a radar display and analysis system designed by National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) meteorologists. The MLB WDSS displays and processes data from the Melbourne Doppler Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 (KMLB WSR-88D) and was initiated during early August 1996. The main tasking responsibilities involved determining the extent of added benefit above that available at the WSR-88D Principal User Processor (PUP), providing input for improving displayed data, and working with NSSL scientists to optimize the algorithms for the central Florida environment. The MLB 'Severe Weather and WSR-88D Focal Point' was the point-of-contact for this task.

• The Lightning Detection and Ranging (LDAR) system is a prototype device which displays lightning flash data (in-cloud and cloud-to-cloud strikes) in three dimensions. The main tasking responsibility was to determine the operational uses of this revolutionary data set and to examine the data in real-time and post-analyses for signatures which may correlate with severe weather WSR-88D signatures or reported weather damage. The LDAR display system was installed at NWSO MLB during the spring of 1994. The MLB 'Lightning and Electrification Focal Point' was the point-of-contact for this task.
   
• Forecast fields from the Meso-Eta model was obtained and evaluated for accuracy. A study also determined the feasability of developing a central Florida observational meso-network, which would ultimately help initialize a locally run meso-scale model. Evaluations related to this project began during the early Summer of 1995. The "Weather Models and AWIPS Focal Point' was the point-of-contact for this task.
   
• The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint U.S.-Japan space project and remains ongoing. The overall goal of the project is to provide accurate rainfall measurements via satellite. Reflectivity data from the KMLB WSR-88D are being used by NASA to ground-truth the satellite derived estimates. The main task for this project is to provide a contiguous Archive level-II (un-processed) data set to the researchers based at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. This project has been in place since late 1991. The MLB 'Heavy Rain and Hydrology Focal Point' remains the point-of-contact for this task.