Joint Metoc Handboo - IHMC Ontology and Policy Management

7-Navy
7.4 Navy METOC Data
7.4.1 Navy METOC Data Sources.
The following represent the most significant sources of METOC data within the Navy
tactical structure: Battleforce Surface Ships, Carrier Air Wing, Maritime Patrol Aircraft,
and Submarines. METOC observations taken by these units consist of surface weather,
upper air, pilot reports (PIREPs), and bathythermograph data.
• Battle Force Surface Ships. All Battle Force/Group surface combatants (aircraft
carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious, mine warfare, and logistics support
ships) provide METOC surface weather observations every six hours while at sea.
These reports are submitted on the synoptic hours of 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, and
1800Z. If visibility is less than 1 NM, winds exceed 35 knots, or the seas exceed 12
feet, the reporting rate increases to every three hours until the condition(s) improve.
All ships at sea are required to take regular observations, but where ships are steaming
in company or in close proximity the Officer in Tactical Command (OTC) may
designate one ship to report for the group.
- All anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships (cruisers, destroyers, and frigates) collect
bathythermograph (BT) data by dropping an expendable temperature sensor into
the sea. The collection rate of BT data is driven by operational requirements.
- Upper-air observations are regularly collected by those Navy vessels with a
permanently assigned METOC division (OA Division) or embarked Mobile
Environmental Team (MET). Upper-air observations are taken at the synoptic
times of 0000Z and 1200Z, as operations permit.
• Carrier Air Wing. Aircrews provide meteorological observations, pilot reports
(PIREPs), as specified by their mission, or when required in areas of sparse data (e.g.,
oceanic, target weather). PIREPs are submitted via radio or upon return from the flight
to the carrier weather office (or shore-based weather office, if the aircraft recover
ashore).
• Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Aircrews provide meteorological observations as specified
by their mission, or when required in areas of sparse data (e.g., oceanic). Aircraft
observations are transmitted when radio contact is made, or are delivered, along with
observations of unexpected en route weather, to the NAVMETOCCOM activity at the
air station at which the aircraft lands. Sonobuoy-equipped aircraft take airborne
expendable bathythermograph (AXBT) observations in open ocean areas where depths
exceed 100 fathoms. A minimum of one BT observation is taken during each antisubmarine
warfare (ASW) flight that uses sonobuoys. Collected data is submitted to
the NAVMETOC activity at the air station at which the aircraft lands.
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs).
UAVs and UUVs are an increasingly important source of weather and oceanographic
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