Joint Metoc Handboo - IHMC Ontology and Policy Management
Joint Metoc Handboo - IHMC Ontology and Policy Management
Joint Metoc Handboo - IHMC Ontology and Policy Management
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8-USAF<br />
Chapter 8 - U.S. Air Force METOC<br />
This chapter describes U.S. Air Force organizational structure, comm<strong>and</strong> relationships, <strong>and</strong><br />
support capabilities <strong>and</strong> requirements, including typical USAF METOC <strong>and</strong><br />
communications equipment.<br />
8.1 Air Force Forces (AFFOR)<br />
8.1.1 Air Force Weather Support to <strong>Joint</strong> <strong>and</strong> Air Force Organizations.<br />
Air Force Weather (AFW) personnel provide weather support to unified comm<strong>and</strong>s, major<br />
comm<strong>and</strong>s (MAJCOMs), joint task forces (JTFs), numbered air forces (NAFs), operational<br />
flying units (wings/squadrons), <strong>and</strong> air expeditionary forces (AEFs).<br />
• Unified comm<strong>and</strong>s have a Senior METOC Officer (SMO), who may be an Air Force or<br />
Navy officer; some have a small staff (e.g., CENTCOM). When designated, a JTF will<br />
have a <strong>Joint</strong> METOC Officer (JMO) <strong>and</strong> a mix of officer <strong>and</strong> enlisted personnel.<br />
• Staff support to MAJCOMs is through Directors of Weather (typically designated<br />
DOW or XOW), usually an O-6 with a staff of weather officers <strong>and</strong> senior NCOs. A<br />
NAF typically has a Staff Weather Officer (SWO) <strong>and</strong> a small staff that is assigned to<br />
an attached Operational Weather Squadron (OWS).<br />
• Air Force weather support to flying operations is provided at three levels: strategic,<br />
operational, <strong>and</strong> tactical, corresponding to the levels of war. This weather support is<br />
provided by strategic level production centers (e.g., AFWA, AFCCC), operational level<br />
squadrons (the OWSs), <strong>and</strong> tactical level combat weather teams (CWTs) assigned to<br />
flying wings, squadrons, <strong>and</strong> AEFs. For Global Power missions, the lead weather<br />
support provider is the ACC Weather Support Unit (WSU) at Langley AFB.<br />
• When a NAF is tasked to deploy the Air Force component (AFFOR) <strong>and</strong>/or the Air<br />
Operations Center (AOC), the AFFOR Comm<strong>and</strong>er <strong>and</strong> his staff will be supported by a<br />
SWO (<strong>and</strong> possibly additional weather officers/NCOs). The AOC will have dedicated<br />
weather support consisting of a mix of officer <strong>and</strong> enlisted personnel. (The number of<br />
personnel <strong>and</strong> the capability deployed is determined by the size <strong>and</strong> scope of the<br />
planned operation.)<br />
• When a JTF is formed, USAF weather personnel may be tasked to deploy <strong>and</strong> form or<br />
augment a <strong>Joint</strong> METOC Forecast Unit (JMFU). Air Force weather personnel may<br />
also be tasked to deploy a small cell (officer <strong>and</strong> enlisted) to support the <strong>Joint</strong> Task<br />
Force Comm<strong>and</strong>er (JFC), the <strong>Joint</strong> Force Air Component Comm<strong>and</strong>er (JFACC), the<br />
<strong>Joint</strong> AOC (JAOC), <strong>and</strong> the deployed (joint) staff.<br />
• Deployed weather teams supporting flying units, AOCs, <strong>and</strong>/or staffs, reach back to the<br />
OWS responsible for their Area of Responsibility (AOR) for theater/operational level<br />
8-1
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