Joint Metoc Handboo - IHMC Ontology and Policy Management

9-US Army
> Visibility estimate
> Type of precipitation and intensity
> Atmospheric pressure
> Road, ground, and water conditions
- The FALOP observations are disseminated through intelligence reporting channels
or other communications links. The approximate time needed to take, record,
encode, and transmit a single observation is 15 minutes.
• Aviation Squadrons/Brigades. Aircrews provide en route pilot reports via radio to ATS
units and/or USAF CWTs; or, upon return from the flight, to the USAF CWT operating
location for inclusion in their forecast products.
• USAF Combat Weather Teams (CWT)
- The following represent the most significant sources of METOC data provided by
USAF CWTs attached to Army organizations:
> Echelon Above Corps (EAC)
> Corps
> Division
> Aviation Brigades
> Separate Brigades
> Armored Cavalry Regiments
> Ranger Regiment
> Special Forces Groups and Battalions
> Special Operations Aviation Regiment
- CWT composition varies depending on the nature and duration of the Army
mission and the theater of operations. CWTs are composed of one or more of the
following: Staff Weather Officer, officer and noncommissioned officer forecasters,
weather observers, and administrative specialists.
- METOC data produced or collected by these units include surface weather
observations, upper air observation produced by Army units, pilot reports, FALOP
produced by Army units, and terminal forecasts.
• Communications procedures. Since Army units are mobile, locations must be included
as part of the METOC report; consequently, the Army requires these reports to be
classified and transmitted over secure communications channels. Within the Army
structure, secure METOC communications are passed from IMETS over MCS, MSE,
or secure local area networks (LANs) within the battalion or brigade Tactical
Operations Center (TOC) or CP. IMETS transmits to the JMO or OWS using
SIPRNET through the MSE connection. This echelon will relay the data to the
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