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  • LZSO training with the 20th OSS

    When the mission demands precise and timely landings, even the most challenging terrain can be overcome. Landing zone safety officers play a critical role in ensuring aircraft can safely touch down in contingency locations, no matter how remote or underdeveloped.

  • Tackling Tornadoes Takes Teamwork

    Across military operations, weather influences the entire spectrum of planning to execution. From carrier groups routing around typhoons to installations evacuating aircraft in advance of a hurricane, weather drives human behavior daily. Within the 557th Weather Wing, forecasters are preparing now

  • Weather Airmen forecast combat missions

    Photo Essay: U.S. Air Force Airman from the 12th Combat Training Squadron (CTS) participated in Green Flag West 21-02, at Fort Irwin Army Base, California, Nov. 12, 2020. The 12th CTS readies tactical air control parties, weather teams and brigade combat teams executed decisive, world-wide

  • 93d AGOW adds “combat” to weather squadron names

    A new chapter began for two 93d Air Ground Operations Wing squadrons Sept. 18, 2020, when the 3d Weather Squadron and 18th Weather Squadron were redesignated to differentiate their distinct mission sets from other Air Force weather squadrons. The change highlights how these Airmen train and deploy

  • 2nd CWSS narrows Air Force Weather’s first-in communications gap

    Members from Air Force Weather and Special Operations communities gathered at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, Feb. 20, to test a first-in communications capability with potential for the global Air Force mission. Joint Special Operations Command, 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron, 18th Weather Squadron

  • 15th OWS creating margin with Ready Month

    The 15th Operational Weather Squadron has introduced a new scheduling model this year to improve readiness, morale and the ability to train. Dubbed “Ready Month,” the plan provides the opportunity for one of the squadron’s four operational flights to come off 24/7 operations for a month to focus on

  • Cyber Evolution: 16th Weather Squadron

    The 16th Weather Squadron is leading the way, reorganizing to become the 557th Weather Wing’s dedicated software and innovation squadron, a move that will generate new insights on environmental intelligence for combatant commanders around the globe. When complete, the reorganization will reinforce

  • Made with love in Australia by a 2nd WS Airman

    A 2nd Weather Squadron Airman stationed in Australia is crafting hope in her local community in the midst of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Staff Sgt. Kalynn Mitchell, a 2nd WS solar analyst at Learmonth Solar Observatory in Exmouth, Western Australia, is using her sewing machine and fabric from a

  • 557th WW integrating with 16th AF missions

    The 557th Weather Wing is working to integrate its strengths into the recently formed 16th Air Force, which brought intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber, electronic warfare, information operations and weather all under one roof. Integration is a key theme for the Air Force’s first

  • Weather Airmen share mission at Rose Bowl event

    As people prepared to celebrate the New Year’s holiday, five Airmen from units across the 557th Weather Wing journeyed to Pasadena, California. Their mission was to tell the Air Force Weather story at Live on Green!, a free entertainment and education event that precedes the annual Rose Parade and

  • 557th WW trains its own to deploy anytime, everywhere

    Instructors from the 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron took on an unusual set of students, a class composed entirely of Airmen from a single unit. Airmen from the 25th Operational Weather Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, attended the Deployed Weather Systems Training class at

  • Forecasting the future of weather

    Operational Weather Squadrons and weather flights from various Major Commands throughout the Air Force are realigning terminal aerodrome forecast responsibilities. This realignment is scheduled to be completed by October 1, 2020.Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Operational Support Squadron

  • 557th WW holds first wing operational readiness exercise

    The 557th Weather Wing completed its first operational readiness exercise since standing up as an Air Combat Command wing.Held Aug. 19-23, Operational Readiness Exercise - Steel Colander tested the wing’s ability to deliver weather intelligence in a contested, degraded and operationally-limited

  • ACC defines HUR-RY, TOR-RY framework

    While specific start dates of tornado seasons vary based on region, they can happen at any time, day or night. On the other hand, Hurricane Season recently began on June 1 and will extend to Nov. 30. Due to catastrophic weather events that took place throughout the past 12 year, including Hurricane

  • Rain or shine, weather flight protects flightline

    The 20th Operations Support Squadron weather flight Airmen’s discipline, attention to detail and continued emphasis on the hard-earned basics are what stand between unseen deadly flying conditions and the pilots of Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.

  • ROKAF Weather Wing commander visits 557th WW

    The commander of the Republic of Korea Air Force Weather Wing visited 557th Weather Wing headquarters June 20, 2019. The ROK-US weather collaboration meeting, held between Col. Gyun Do Ki, ROKAF WW commander, and Col. Brian Pukall, 557th WW commander, is traditionally held every two years after the

  • Midshipmen visit 15th OWS to learn Midwest weather

    Midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy visited the 15th Operational Weather Squadron May 11, 2019, to learn about severe weather and its effects on aviation. An example of cross service partnership, the annual visit allows future naval officers the opportunity to learn about weather phenomena from

  • Most important weather forecast ever made

    Seventy-five years ago, Allied forces began the task of opening the second front in Europe when they landed on the beaches of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944.Weather was a key factor in deciding when and where the invasion would take place. There were competing priorities when selecting the desired

  • Mountain Home AFB: First to use Portable Doppler Radar for CONUS Ops

    Weather can be an unrelenting force and infamously fickle. Severe weather can adversely affect the safety of aircrew and Airmen working in the elements. Fortunately, advanced radars with weather forecasting capabilities can mitigate the associated risks.Keeping constant surveillance on weather

  • ACC Airmen performing space mission in Australia celebrate 40 years

    The Learmonth Solar Observatory celebrated its 40th anniversary April 27, 2019, at Learmonth, Western Australia, giving solar immersion briefings at the facility and holding a partnership barbecue.The observatory is operated jointly by 2nd Weather Squadron’s Detachment 1 and the Australian Bureau of

  • 26th OWS Airmen experience the pilot’s perspective

    Two Airmen from the 26th Operational Weather Squadron got to experience the weather they normally only forecast when they donned flight suits and took to the skies at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Feb. 21, 2019.Tech. Sgt. Chris Bieber, 26th OWS shift supervisor, and Senior Airman

  • 2nd WXG innovations: Task Force Bat Phone delivers data Airmen need

    This is the second part of a series highlighting innovations by the 557th Weather Wing’s 2nd Weather Group.Using off-the-shelf components, new processes and a little inspiration from Batman, a group of innovative Airmen from the 557th Weather Wing’s 2nd Weather Group are changing how information is

  • 2nd WXG Innovations: 14th WS releases new climate go kit

    This is the first of a series highlighting innovations by the 557th Weather Wing’s 2nd Weather Group.After only six months of in-house development, the 2nd WXG’s 14th Weather Squadron in Asheville, North Carolina, introduced their Climate Go-Kit, a new tool for weather forecasters to prepare for

  • 557th WW joins 55th WG for Winter Havoc

    The 557th Weather Wing joined the 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base’s host wing, for the Operational Readiness Exercise Winter Havoc.Twenty-one Airmen from the 2nd Systems Operations Squadron, 2nd Weather Squadron and 16th Weather Squadron joined approximately 600 other Offutt AFB Airmen for the late

  • 17th OWS wins weather squadron of the year

    The 17th Operational Weather Squadron has been selected as the Air Force Weather Squadron of the Year for 2018.Located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, the 17th OWS provides weather operations support throughout the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.One of the squadron’s accomplishments was

  • 25th OWS celebrates 75th anniversary

    Surrounded by historic aircraft in the main hangar of the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon, Arizona, the 25th Operational Weather Squadron celebrated its 75th anniversary Nov. 2, 2018. Originally known as the 25th Weather Squadron, the unit provided weather support to Army and Army Air Corps

  • Cyber Airmen “fuel” innovation

    Cyber Airmen assigned to the 557th Weather Wing recently teamed together with the Defense Innovation Unit program making changes to how airborne tankers are scheduled. The changes are the direct result of a March 8, 2018, memo from Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, where he stated,

  • Supercomputing the weather with ‘Thor’

    Thor models global weather patterns and provides individual air bases and army units with specific forecasts for areas as small as 17 square kilometers. The computer system is comprised of nearly 1,000 individual blade servers. Thor’s increased capacity allows weather Airmen at Offutt to generate

  • Airmen Make it Rain on ‘Weather Geeks’

    For some Airmen, being called a weather geek is a term of endearment.Two Airmen from the 557th Weather Wing recently embraced their inner geek and will share their passion and expertise on an upcoming episode of “Weather Geeks” on the Weather Channel.Lt. Col. James Weaver, deputy commander of the