In a detailed report on the importance of weather observations in austere or denied terrain, the military aviation magazine shines a spotlight on the IWOS tactical weather station from Intellisense Systems.
The Integrated Weather Observation System (IWOS®) from Intellisense was recently featured in an article from Air & Space Forces magazine. The report by Senior Editor David Roza examines how critical weather observations are in United States Air Force (USAF) operations, particularly in the use of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), a concept wherein service members execute missions from small or unattended airfields. These operations are essential for combating any near-peer adversaries and maintaining the Air Force’s domain advantage in the skies. The IWOS is currently expected to become the primary tactical, man-portable weather station used by the USAF over the next few years.
The article begins by exploring the challenges of acquiring and transmitting environmental data in areas where no weather observations are currently taking place. It mentions that the previous portable solution, the Tactical Meteorological Observing System (TMOS), was very cumbersome, weighing nearly 200 lb, consisting of up to 80 separate components, and requiring at least 30 minutes and 2 to 3 service members to install.
“You hear stories all the time about dudes having to jump TOC [tactical operations center] and move like a mile and a half away,” Tech Sgt. Kyle Chambers of the 2nd Weather Squadron is quoted in the article. “So they have to pack it all up, attach cord to all these little handles, strap them to their belt and just drag this thing to the new location. They stop, set it all up, and then an hour later they have to jump TOC and do it all over again.”
Last year, the USAF announced that the IWOS will be replacing the legacy TMOS. In contrast to the legacy system, the IWOS weighs just 25 lb, fits inside a single case, and takes less than 10 minutes for one service member to install. Intellisense’s tactical weather station boasts an innovative, ruggedized, interlocking cylindrical design so that airmen, service members, and other users can get the exact weather parameters they need for their operations. It combines over a dozen key weather parameters, including temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed/direction, and cloud layer height to 25,000 ft, with data processing, data logging, a solar power system, and secure communications through an Iridium satellite connection. Cloud layer height in particular is critical for ensuring successful aircraft takeoffs/landings in locales with no permanent surface-level observations. Additionally, the system is far more discrete than its predecessor, thus lowering the risk of detection in denied terrain.
The article affirms that that IWOS delivers the data that Air Force weather specialists need in a much smaller, robust package. It also looks at the importance of communications and supporting service members who may be engaging with near-peer adversaries in austere areas. Roza quotes the Air Force’s 2021 explainer on the doctrine of ACE: “By empowering subordinates at the lowest capable level to make decisions and take decisive action at their level, mission command provides the flexibility and agility required to seize opportunities despite enemy denial or degradation of communications.”