# Presentation: 130137

## Strategy for Providing Atmospheric Information: Air Force Perspective

**3 Dec 01**

**Brigadier General David L. Johnson**
**HQ USAF/ XOW**

## Overview

**AFW mission and organization**
**Importance of atmospheric (and space) information**
**Air Force direction**
**Atmospheric information needed**
**Air Force experience in leveraging data sources**
**Recommendations**

- 03 Dec 01

## AFW Mission

**Deliver to our Nation's combat forces anytime, anyplace, the highest quality, mission-tailored information, products, and services relating to the terrestrial and space environment....from the mud to the sun.**

- 03 Dec 01

## AFW –Organized for Ops 

***Mission-Scale***
***2 Way Info***

**OPERATIONAL CONCEPT**

***Global***
***Products***

***Fine-Scale Theater Products***

***Strategic Weather Center***

***Operational Weather***
***Squadrons***

***Combat Weather Teams ***

***Lean, Experienced******Mission Knowledgeable Team***

***Develop Forecasts******On-the-Job Training / Mentoring Less Experienced Personnel***

***Leverage Technology******Manage Infrastructure***

***WARFIGHTER***

- 03 Dec 01

## The Importance of Atmospheric (and Space) Information

***The Importance of Atmospheric (and Space) Information***

**Information**
**Providers**

**Joint**
**Battlespace**
**Infosphere**

**Geospatial Databases**

**Common**
**Operational**
**Picture**

**Intel Sources**
**Air Surveillance**
**Surface Surveillance**
**Space Surveillance**

**Commanders**

**Information Preparation **
**of the Battlespace**

-        TERRESTRIAL/SPACE
-       WEATHER
- INTELLIGENCE, OTHER FORCES
- COALITION FORCES
- LOGISTICS/UTILITIES
- IMAGERY/OVERLAYS
- I

- 03 Dec 01

## Air Force Direction

**Incorporate environmental information directly into command-and-control systems**
**- Maintaining “forecaster-in-the-loop” where it makes sense to add value**
**Four-dimensional data bases focused on operational effects, not “weather for weather’s sake”**
**- Access limited as needed**
**Best Science--Partnering with other agencies/sources**
**Future is Microclimate Description--Effective use of higher resolution METSAT and model data**

- 03 Dec 01

## Needed Atmospheric Information:

***Needed Atmospheric Information:***
*** ******Fine-Scale Model Data***

***Integrated Into Warfighter***
***Planning and Execution***
***Decisions...***

***Key to ***
_***Exploiting***_*** The Weather!***

- 03 Dec 01

##  Needed Atmospheric Information:  Hi-Res METSAT Data

**Clear - Baseline**

**Multiple Dust Plumes**

** *****Needed Atmospheric Information:  ******Hi-Res METSAT Data***

***Iran***

***Iran***

***Afghanistan***

***Afghanistan***

***Pakistan***

***Pakistan***

- 03 Dec 01

## Air Force Experience:  Leveraging “Best” of Community/Data Sources

**European Obs/Radar/Model Data**
**International METSAT Data**
**- Security Restrictions**
**Commercial Turbulence Information**
**Cooperative Agreement with *****The Weather Channel***
**NOAA - Next Generation Polar-Orbiting Satellites**
**Academia/NCAR - Models/Algorithms**
**NOAA/NASA - Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation**

- 03 Dec 01

## Recommendations

**Air Force should have “a seat at the table” in developing a strategic plan**
**Don’t forget space weather**
**Advantages in using environmental information should be gained through teamwork/sharing, analysis, visualization, or prediction methods, not by restricting the flow of data**
**Support OF**_**C**_**M**

- 03 Dec 01

## “Anticipate - Exploit The Weather”

**“****Anticipate - Exploit The Weather”**

- 03 Dec 01