Air Force Weather Agency
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) is the lead strategic weather center of the United States Air Force. AFWA enhances the combat capability of the United States by delivering timely, accurate, and reliable environmental situational awareness worldwide to the Air Force, the Army, joint warfighters, Unified Combatant Commands, the national intelligence community, and the Secretary of Defense. The agency is currently headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska.
AFWA is a leader in military meteorology. It fields high quality weather equipment and training to Air Force operational weather squadrons and combat weather flights at locations around the world. AFWA builds a comprehensive weather database of forecast, climatological, and space weather products. These products and services are exploited by the U.S. Department of Defense field commanders and decision makers for many military operations, contingency missions, and humanitarian relief efforts conducted by the United States.
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[edit] Mission
The Air Force Weather Agency's mission statement is as follows:
"The mission of Air Force Weather Agency is to arm our Nation’s forces with essential air and space environmental intelligence, training, and technical services to ensure battlespace awareness and decision superiority - anytime, anywhere. AFWA is a Field Operating Agency, reporting to United States Air Force Director of Weather, Deputy Chief of Staff Air and Space Operations (USAF/A3O-W)."
[edit] Personnel and resources
AFWA manning consists of active duty, reserve, civilian and contract personnel and is headquartered on Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. AFWA.
[edit] Organization
AFWA is organized into a headquarters element, consisting of staff agencies, a group, five directorates, two subordinate centers, and five solar observatories.
The 1st Weather Group (1 WXG) aligns stateside weather operations with the Air Force warfighting initiative overseeing Operational Weather Squadrons; the 9th OWS at Shaw AFB, S.C., the 15th OWS at Scott AFB, Ill.; the 25th OWS at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; and the 26th OWS at Barksdale AFB, La. Each of the four squadrons produces forecasts for a specified area of the United States. The squadrons also serve as training hubs for new weather professionals – both enlisted and officers. The 1 WXG arms our weather professionals with the training and skills necessary to deliver environmental intelligence for commanders and military decision makers.
The Operations Directorate (XO) directs the HQ AFWA scheduling and production of quality, worldwide, mission-tailored, terrestrial and space weather products 24-hours a day to meet the requirements of the President, Department of Defense, unified commands, combat forces of the Air Force and Army, and national intelligence community. This includes the DoD’s only space weather analysis and forecast center.
The directorate oversees AFWA’s back-up of five national centers: Aviation Weather Center; Storm Prediction Center; Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center; Space Environment Center; and the National Center for Environmental Prediction.
The Communications and Information Directorate (SC) manages worldwide weather communications systems for Air Force Weather; ensures operational control and information assurance through the Network Operations and Security Center; tracks and assesses network activities and Time Compliance Network Orders; and manages the Information Assurance Awareness Program analyzing COMSEC, COMPUSEC, and EMSEC security standards. The SC also operates HQ AFWA’s data processing resources, develops and maintains software running on HQ AFWA computer systems, and establishes and oversees information management policies and practices across AFWA.
The Plans and Programs Directorate (XP) Directs the planning, programming, budgeting, development, acquisition, engineering, configuration management, modification, installation, integration, logistics, and life cycle support of all standard weather systems and computer processing equipment.
The Air and Space Science Directorate (DN) directs efforts to improve the terrestrial and space weather information provided to Air Force, Army, and joint operations through exploitation of science and technology; implements new capabilities and products based on operational shortfalls; directs and coordinates Air Force Weather training initiatives and programs.
The Operations Analysis Directorate (OA) provides technical guidance to the AFWA Commander and staff for policy development and staff functions related to planning, programming, integration and maintenance for Air Force Weather meteorological, communications and computer systems.
[edit] Subordinate units
Air Force Combat Climatology Center, located at Asheville, North Carolina, uses historical weather data to develop and produce special weather-impact information used in planning and executing worldwide military operations of the Department of Defense and allied nations and in engineering weapon system design and employment.
Air Force Combat Weather Center, located at Hurlburt Field, Florida, develops, evaluates, exploits, and implements new tactics, techniques, procedures, and technologies across Air Force Weather to enhance the effectiveness of Air Force, Army, Special Forces, joint, and combined operations.
The agency co-sponsors COMET, the Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training, with the civilian National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[edit] History
AFWA traces its heritage to the organization of the Meteorological Service of the United States Army Signal Corps during World War I. On July 1, 1937, the Secretary of War transferred responsibility for weather services to the Army Air Corps. The official lineage of AFWA began April 14, 1943, when the Army Air Forces organized and activated the Weather Wing, which quickly established itself at Asheville, North Carolina. In 1945, the Army Air Forces redesignated the Weather Wing the Army Air Forces Weather Service and in early 1946, the service moved to Langley Field, Virginia. On March 13, 1946, it was redesignated the Air Weather Service and assigned to the Air Transport Command, followed soon thereafter with a move to Gravelly Point, Virginia.
With the formation of the United States Air Force in 1947, Air Weather Service assumed the responsibility of worldwide weather reporting and forecasting for both the Air Force and the Army. In 1948, Air Weather Service moved to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and was assigned to the newly activated Military Air Transport Service, which was later redesignated Military Airlift Command. Air Weather Service relocated to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, in 1958, where it remained for nearly four decades.
The Air Force designated Air Weather Service a field operating agency and re-assigned it to Headquarters United States Air Force in 1991. On Oct. 15, 1997, Air Weather Service was redesignated the Air Force Weather Agency and relocated to Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
[edit] Awards and honors
- 2000 Air Force Association Theodore Van Karman Award
- Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
- May 1, 1984 – Apr. 30, 1986; May 1, 1986 – Apr. 30, 1988; Sep. 1, 1993 - Sep. 30, 1995; Oct. 1, 1995 - Sep. 30, 1996;
- Sep. 1, 1996 - Sep. 30, 1998; Oct.1, 1998 - Sep. 30, 1999; Oct. 1, 1999 - Sep. 30, 2001; Oct. 1, 2001 - Sep. 30, 2003
- World War II American Theater Service Streamer
