• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NNS021015-02 Battlespace Forecasts Enhance Special Warfare Forces

Release Date: 10/15/2002 12:03:00 PM

From Navy Meteorology and Oceanography Command Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- In the Navy, no one goes anywhere without an idea of weather and ocean conditions - not even SEALs.

Naval meteorology and oceanography (METOC) personnel assigned to Naval Special Warfare's Mission Support Center (MSC) are fully integrated with the staff. They maintain situational awareness and provide regular forecasts of weather and sea conditions for operations and training missions.

The relationship started in late 2000 when stood up an experimental MSC to free special warfare operators from time-consuming weather data collection during mission planning. Following the events of Sept. 11, the Mission Support Center was made ready for prime time.

As a result, SEALs worldwide now have around-the-clock weather and ocean forecasting support and a forward-deployed METOC unit assigned to the Joint Special Operations Task Force.

Network-centric operational architecture enables the forward-deployed METOC personnel to reach back to the center for crucial information that can be tailored for immediate use. The architecture also permits the cell to maintain situational awareness, interpreting the effects of METOC on operations for the on-scene commander.

The interaction between meteorology and oceanography assets and NSw personnel has identified new requirements and forecast criteria, such as those for lunar shading and targeting forecasts. In addition, the proximity of the MSC to Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center San Diego helps the testing and integrating meteorology, oceanography, and geospatial information and services impacts into battlespace visualization tools.

In a typical scenario, the METOC cell is called on for a forecast of weather and ocean impacts six to eight hours from execution. The information is used to help assess the mission's timeline and objectives. The forecaster factors in the mission location, objective, and the planned force and configuration.

The forecaster checks all pertinent and available sources and makes a recommendation, which could include better timing for the operation or routes of insertion or extraction, based on environmental conditions.

Operational thresholds based on regional and local forecasts can accelerate the decision cycle and reduce risk by clearly identifying limitations during the recommended go/no-go windows of opportunity and help to improve equipment and personnel safety.