WEATHER SERVICE

Abstract

This budget activity funds operational development necessary to acquire, sustain, and enhance segments of the Air Force Weather Weapon System (AFWWS). Activities also include studies and analysis to support both current program planning and execution and future program planning. The AFWWS provides timely, accurate, consistent and relevant space and terrestrial weather information for global battlespace situational awareness. The AFWWS supports worldwide operations of Air Force and Army warfighters, Special Operation Forces (SOF), and other government agencies with weather observing and forecasting capabilities at in-garrison and deployed locations as well as centralized, reach-back capabilities. Air Force Weather (AFW) programs align under the five capability areas of Weather Data Collection (WDC), Weather Data Analysis (WDA), Weather Forecasting, Product Tailoring/Warfighter Applications (PT/WA), and Weather Dissemination (presently relies on Commercial-off-the-Shelf products and so does not use RDT&E funding). Through this alignment, AFW ensures an integrated and systems-oriented approach to program management decisions. WDC provides automated terrestrial and space environmental sensing capabilities at fixed and deployed locations worldwide. WDA provides a net-centric infrastructure that assimilates worldwide sources of terrestrial and space weather data and produces decision-quality information for warfighters. Improved weather analysis of real-time information also supports DoD's role in transformation of the National Airspace System through the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and enhances Air Force energy security plans. Weather Forecasting provides advanced scientific numerical weather prediction capabilities for automated, high resolution forecast products for mission planning, rehearsal, and execution. Additionally, WDA and Forecasting capabilities will be expanded to integrate and exploit data from a new generation of environmental sensing satellites. PT/WA provides timely, local and regional target-scale weather information to operational commanders for a given Area of Responsibility, and at tactical levels, provides front-line weather information to warfighters in support of combat operations. PT/WA supports the 'train as you fight' concept by assuring fixed and deployable systems have a similar look and feel. FY13 funding will enhance current and develop new computations based on dual-polarization technology for improved severe weather detection and rainfall amount forecasting. During FY13, the weather data analysis capability will continue to develop incremental software enhancements and integrate improved analysis capabilities including processing of data from a new generation of environmental sensing satellites. In FY13, the program plans to continue development of software to integrate advanced terrestrial and space weather forecast capabilities to improve models for warfighter operations. In PT/WA program, the FY13 funding will continue developing software for warfighter tailoring and exploitation products and integrate regional and tactical weather systems with warfighter C4I systems. These efforts will enhance the availability and integration of weather information in multiple Wings, Squadrons, Air and Space Operations Centers, Army decision processes, ATC operations, and exploitation of weather at global, regional, and tactical levels. Activities also include studies and analysis to support both current program planning and execution and future program planning. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2013
• Source ID: 0305111F_7_3600_PB_2013
• Change Summary Explanation: FY11 Congressional General Reduction of 0.257M in Other Adjustment row. FY12 Congressional General Reduction (FFRDC, Sec. 8023) of 0.165M. FY13 funding decrease is due to higher Department of Defense priorities.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• C4I
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Air Transportation
• Artificial Satellites
• Combat Operations
• Data Analysis
• Delphi Method
• Demographic Cohorts
• Energy Security
• High Resolution
• Infrastructure
• Meteorological Radar
• Program Management
• Situational Awareness
• Software Development
• Space Weather
• Test And Evaluation
• Weather Forecasting

Fields of Study

• Environmental science

Readers

• Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.

Technology Areas

• Space
• Space - Satellites