Weather Service

The Weather Service program is a key Air Force Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) initiative focused on operational systems development to modernize and enhance weather capabilities in support of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The primary goal is to provide timely, accurate, resilient, and relevant environmental information to enable global battlespace situational awareness for the Air Force, Army, Special Operations Forces, Space Force, combatant commands, the Intelligence Community, and other government agencies. The program aims to decrease mission and force risk by increasing the lethality, effectiveness, and survivability of DoD weapon systems through advanced weather sensing, forecasting, and analytics.

The Weather Data Collection capability area focuses on automated atmospheric and ground-based space environmental sensing at both fixed and deployed locations worldwide. This includes the integration and testing of advanced sensor components for extreme weather, aerosols, cloud height, low-level wind shear, and optical turbulence. The data collected supports environmental battlespace awareness, safety of flight, resource protection, and satellite anomaly assessments. Efforts such as the Expeditionary Weather system address the needs of Air Force expeditionary operations by integrating components like the Integrated Weather Observing System and edge node AI/ML local weather models.

The Weather Data Analysis and Dissemination capability area is centered on developing a multi-level security, cybersecure cloud computing platform for large-scale environmental data ingest, processing, and product generation. The Weather Data Analysis Increment 5 program is a cornerstone, enabling agile software development through a Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery pipeline, big data analytics, and AI/ML environments. This platform supports rapid fielding of new capabilities, integration with Joint All-Domain Command and Control, and direct communication with command and control customers at various classification levels.

The Weather Forecasting capability area advances global and regional numerical weather prediction, with an emphasis on high-resolution, automated forecast products for mission planning and execution. The Numerical Weather Modeling program develops and integrates physics-based and machine learning models for atmospheric, hydrology, and land characterization. These models support DoD resource protection, mission planning, and the issuance of advisories and warnings. Current priorities include model code optimization, hydrology prediction, AI/ML-based contrail analysis, and the development of new aerosol models, as well as classified modeling for sensitive operations.

The Product Tailoring/Warfighter Applications capability area is responsible for developing and modernizing software applications that enhance environmental information delivery for rapid warfighter decision-making. The Weather Applications Rapid Production program delivers a suite of applications, including the BIFROST Portal and mission-focused workflow tools, across multiple security classification levels. These applications leverage the Weather Data Analysis Increment 5 platform for rapid development and deployment, supporting both automated and Forecaster-in-the-Loop processes enhanced by AI/ML, and integrating with command and control visualization tools.

Several congressionally directed initiatives are included within this program element. The Air Force Weather Transformation project accelerates cloud migration and cold environment sensor research through partnerships with universities. The Machine Learning Global Weather Forecasting initiative upgrades AI/ML training environments for improved forecasting. The Weather Wing Data Migration project supports the transition from legacy data centers to the Air Force Weather Virtual Private Cloud, enhancing machine-to-machine data interfaces and operational metrics. The Operationalizing the Stratosphere effort extends weather model capabilities into the stratosphere and integrates high-altitude balloon data, while the Flood Mapping initiative, in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, develops a global flood mapping and forecasting tool for DoD installations.

The acquisition strategy for the Weather Service program prioritizes rapid and routine capability delivery through a mix of cost-plus and firm-fixed-price contracts. It leverages pre-competed contract vehicles, competitive awards, and partnerships with universities and government organizations specializing in weather, AI/ML, and data sciences. Program management is handled by the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Electronic Systems, ensuring an integrated approach to ground-based sensing, data analysis, and forecast systems. The program also supports full financial audit compliance and includes necessary civilian pay expenses for effective management and execution.