ARTS III FAILURES AT MEM MAY HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN 2 SF34 ACFT.

Narrative

ARTS III FAILED (TWICE). ACFT #1 WAS ON 090 DEG VECTOR TALKING TO ME (RWY 27 FINAL CTLR). ACFT #2 WAS ON A 360 DEG VECTOR (TALKING TO E ARR). DURING THIS CONFUSION OF THE OUTAGE; E ARR FAILED TO SWITCH THE NBOUND (ACFT #2) TO MY FREQ. ACFT #2 RECEIVED AN RA. I ISSUED ACFT #1 AN IMMEDIATE L TO 330 DEGS AND DSND TO 3000 FT. ACFT #1 SAID THEY HAD ACFT #2 IN SIGHT AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ARTS III EQUIP FAILED DURING A MODERATE TO HVY TFC SESSION. HE SAID THE FAILURE LASTED ABOUT 2 1/2 MINS AND A COUPLE OF MINS LATER A SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED FOR ABOUT 2-3 MINS. HE SAID DURING THE OUTAGES; ALL DATA BLOCKS DIMINISHED AND DISPLAYED ONLY THE ACFT ALT. NO CAUSE WAS GIVEN FOR THE FAILURE. ASKED IF ANY LOSS OF SEPARATION HAD OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE OUTAGE; THE RPTR SAID HE DIDN'T THINK SO; THAT THE WX WAS EXCELLENT AND VISUAL SEPARATION WAS USED BY THE CTLRS. THE RPTR ALSO STATED THAT ARTS III OUTAGES AT MEM ARE RARE.