17 May 2021

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 to alert units of potential severe weather this spring and ultimately drive behavior that protects personnel and assets.

16 Dec 2020

84th Radar Evaluation Squadron supports Long Range Radar programs during pandemic

The 84th Radar Evaluations Squadron’s unique mission persists as the United States continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The 84th RADES at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, evaluates Long Range Radars all over the continental United States, Alaska, Canada, and in several deployed areas of responsibility. The COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions forced the unit to modify many processes to continue to perform their mission.

17 Nov 2020

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 multi-spectrum combat operations during the exercise at the U.S. Army’s National Training Center. The 12th CTS exercised along with U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team (3rd BCT), 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, in the joint services exercise. Green Flag offers joint forces training for large force combat operations and affords units the opportunity to test and troubleshoot tactics in a real-world environment.

18 Sep 2020

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 with the Army, which requires different training, skills, and resources.

21 May 2020

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 and 16th Weather Squadron verified the ability of Defense Department satellite communication networks to operate with Project Bat Phone, a first-in communications system that pairs innovative information delivery software with off-the-shelf computers and military radios to deliver key advantages in first-in and contested, degraded and operationally-limited environments, known as CDO environments.

15 May 2020

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 specialized deployment training, team and individual resiliency and flight-wide professional development, while still providing an additional stand-by margin of continuous surge capacity to the operations floor when required.

29 Apr 2020

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 16th WS’s culture of science and technological innovation and warfighter ethos, contributing to the National Defense Strategy’s line of effort to reform the Defense Department for greater lethality and performance.

8 Apr 2020

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 local hardware store to create face masks for medical workers and others at risk in the community.

17 Feb 2020

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 information warfare numbered air force.

15 Jan 2020

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 Rose Bowl football game.