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US AIR FORCE METEOROLOGY
Air weather service (AWS) is headquartered at Scott AFB, IL, and was established July 1,
1937. AWS was restructured as a field operating agency during the reorganization of the
former Military Airlift Command.
The AWS provides technical advice and assistance to all agencies supported by the Air
Force weather support system and for the standardization and interoperability of the total
Air Force weather support system. It also assesses the quality and technical goodness of
weather support and fields standard weather systems for the Air Force, Army and special
forces.
The AWS is a field operating agency that reports to the Air Force directorate of weather,
office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations at Headquarters US Air Force,
Washington, DC. It has three directorates at the headquarters and an equal number of
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satellite units that provide current and long-range plans and day-to-day requirements.
Within the headquarters, the technology, plans and programs directorate develops the
initial requirements and operational concepts into a working solution for all Air Force
weather units. The systems and communications directorate manage functions related to
AWS' responsibility as the Air Force's lead command for weather systems. These two
directorates work hand-in-hand to define requirements, develop concepts and then
acquiring standard weather systems for the Air Force. The resource management
directorate directs special staff support activities. Public affairs, financial management and
comptroller, inquiries and investigation, history office, information management, personnel,
manpower and organization, and process improvement all fall in their functional area.
Air Force global weather central (AFGWC), located at Offutt AFB, NE, maintains the
world's most comprehensive weather database. AFGWC applies it in real-time to satisfy
worldwide requirements of Army and Air Force combat forces, the National Command
Authorities, Department of Defense and multi-billion-dollar sensitive national programs
controlled by the Secretary of the Air Force. AFGWC employs unique man-machine
interfaces to combine conventional weather and meteorological satellite data with
numerical model output to produce products tailored to meet the special needs of military
operations. Detachment 7, AFGWC, at Tinker AFB, OK, collects, processes and
distributes real- time weather data to combat and combat support organizations of the US
Air Force and other DOD and federal agencies.
Air Force combat climatology center, also at Scott AFB, IL, collects, saves and applies
weather data to generate environmental products in support of worldwide operations of the
Air Force, Army, other DOD and US government interests. A combination of advanced
computer programs and the world's largest computerized climatic database, located at an
operating location in Asheville, NC, enables AFCCC to prepare studies and analyses to
support weapon systems design, mission planning and combat operations worldwide.
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Combat weather facility, at Hurlburt Field, FL, is the Air Force focal point for battlefield
weather technology and serves as the primary center for training weather personnel on
tactical weather and communications equipment. Other CWF objectives include exploiting
new technology, and developing new procedures to forecast weather; and testing new
tactical meteorological and communications equipment and concepts. The CWF also has
an operating location at Fort Blanding, FL.
Air Force weather (AFW) personnel support deployable elements of the Air Force, from the
squadron level up through numbered air force; and elements of the Army from aviation
battalion and brigade on up through echelon above corps. These AFW personnel,
deployed in weather teams (WETMs), produce a broad spectrum of weather products and
services, including:
Local surface weather observations
Upper air weather observations (if so equipped and tasked)
Terminal aerodrome forecasts
Weather watches, advisories, and warnings
Weather impacts decision aids, including electro-optical and refractive decision aids
Planning information, including climatological and long-range forecast data
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