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Special Operations Weather

Special Operations Weather. Maj Charles Cunningham Chief, Ops & Training, Weather Division, AFSOC HQ. Overview. Air Force Weather Architecture History Atmospheric & Environmental Operations Special Operations Weather Capabilities. Air Force Weather Agency Organization Structure.

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Special Operations Weather

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  1. Special Operations Weather • Maj Charles Cunningham • Chief, Ops & Training, Weather Division, AFSOC HQ

  2. Overview • Air Force Weather Architecture • History • Atmospheric & Environmental Operations • Special Operations Weather Capabilities

  3. Air Force Weather Agency Organization Structure Air Force Weather Agency 1400 Personnel 14 GSUs 1st Weather Group Offutt AFB A – Staff Offutt AFB 2nd Weather Group Offutt AFB 25th OWS D-M AFB, AZ 15th OWS Scott AFB, IL 2nd WS Offutt AFB 2nd SYOS Offutt AFB AF Combat Weather Center HurlburtFld, FL 26th OWS Barksdale AFB, LA 14th WS Asheville, NC

  4. Operational Weather Squadron Geographic Alignment

  5. AFSOC Weather ForcesOrganization AFSOC A31/A3W (4/3/1) 23 WS(2/22/7) 623 AOC (0/1/0) 24 SOWHurlburt Field 1 SOWHurlburt Field 27 SOWCannon AFB 353 SOGKadena AB 720 STGHurlburt Field 352 SOGRAF Mildenhall 1 SOSS(3/17/1) 3 SOSNellis AFB(0/6/0) 27 SOSS(1/12/1) 352 OSS(1/7/0) 320 STS(0/4/0) 10 CWS (2/31/0) 720 OSS (0/5/0) 24 STSPope AFB (0/14/0) 321 STS (0/4/0) 352 OSS(1/9/0) ANG DET 1Cannon AFB(0/2/0) OL-ACreech AFB(0/2/0) OL-A Ft Lewis (1/1/0) DET 2 Ft Campbell (2/12/0) OL-B Ft Carson (1/1/0) OL-C Ft Benning (1/1/0) OL-D Ft Bragg (1/1/0) 107 WF Selfridge MI (4/14/0) 123 STS Louisville, KY (0/6/0) OL-A Hunter AAF (0/2/0) OL-E Duke FLD (1/1/0) 125 STS Portland, OR (0/5/0) 146 WF Corapolis, PA (3/11/0) AD Manpower OFF ENL CIV TOT SOWT 181 WF Ft Worth, TX (4/14/0) 19 158 3 180 “Slick” Wx

  6. Historical • WWII and the Office of Strategic Services • OSS trained 36 volunteers from the 19th WS: parachuting, close quarters combat, escape and evasion, advanced weapons • Six 3-man teams parachuted into Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia • SOWT predecessors operated with OSS in China-Burma-India theater • Southeast Asia: Capt Keith Grimes • Provided forward air controller training to Laotians at remote outposts; told Ambassador William Sullivan: I can establish wx data network • Trained and advised over 1000 Laotians to collect and transmit weather observations from remote jungle areas • Established 29 “Lima” sites across mountainous/jungle terrain • Similar networks established in Thailand, Cambodia, South Vietnam • Son Tay Raid

  7. Recent Operations • Operation Enduring Freedom • Collected first in weather and environmental data • SOWT and sensors established largest, most robust weather network since early 1960s Laos • Operation Iraqi Freedom • SOWT inside Iraq before open hostilities; some of the first in Iraq • Expanded on successes of OEF; even more forward-deployed SOWT and sensors, helped opened numerous airfields across Iraq • 20,000+ forward weather observations in OEF (2009) • Tactical environmental reports steered 12 HA/CA projects valued at over $30M • During 2009 10th CWS SOWT conducted ~280 combat recon patrols; 70+ TICs; 55-60x EKIA • Since early 2007, SOWT have collected/produced 345 TERREPs

  8. SOWT Mission Areas Environmental Reconnaissance (Terrain) Avalanche / Snow Pack Forward Weather Observing Aviation Weather (FSB/FAARP) Riverine / Surf Zone Limited Data Weather Forecasting SUAS

  9. Atmospheric Operations • Weather Observing • Weather Forecasting • Operational Planning

  10. Environmental Operations • Avalanche Forecasting • Riverine Operations • Environmental Reconnaissance • Terrain Reporting

  11. Terrain Reports

  12. SOWT Tactical Capabilities • Support both time-sensitive and longer-term, sustained ops • Critical determination for aviation operations: CAS, Infiltration, and MedEvac • M4, M9, Mk19, Mk47, M249, M2 weapons qualifications • Battlefield trauma care • Fixed wing low/high altitude parachute insertion • Rotary wing insertion (fast rope, helo-cast) • Communications (SAT, UHF, VHF, FM) • Tactical pilot to metro service • Breaching / Demolition • Close quarters battle • Small boat operations • Small UAV systems with RSTA kit

  13. Summary • Air Force Weather Architecture • History • Atmospheric & Environmental Operations • Special Operations Weather Capabilities

  14. Questions?

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