LCDR Jake Hinz

1
Direct Satellite Readout of Polar Orbit
Satellites on US Navy Aircraft Carriers
Jake Hinz Lieutenant Commander, US Navy Former
USS NIMITZ Oceanographer

• POLARMAX 2006
• 25 October 2006

2
Carrier Strike Group 11 Composition

• Carrier Air Wing Eleven
• VFA-41, VFA-14 (F/A-18 E/F)
• VMFA-232 (F/A-18 C/D)
• VAQ-135 (EA-6B)
• VAW-117 (E2-C)
• VRC-30 (C-2)
• HS-6 (SH-60)

• USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
• USS Princeton (CG 59)
• USNS Bridge (AOE 10)
• USS Chaffee (DDG 90)
• USS Higgins (DDG 76)
• USS Louisville (SSN 724)
• 9,000 Personnel, 70 Aircraft, 12,500 Sorties
• 1 Weather Team of 9 Personnel

July 2006 VS-06 Formation
3
Single Station Forecasting

• A suite of tools
• Upper Air Balloons
• Fixed and Hand Anemometers
• Thermometer
• Psychrometer
• Barometer
• Ceilometer
• Infrared Temperature Sensor
• Sea Surface Temperature
• Operational Search Radars

4
Increased Challenge
an additional tool is needed
5
Increased Challenge
before his ship ends up in this position.
6
Satellite Imagery
7
AN/SMQ-11

• Current generation environmental satellite
  receiver processor
• Utilizes SeaSpace Terascan Teravision Software
• Receives remotely sensed data from
• DMSP / NOAA TIROS / GEOSAT Follow-On

8
AN/SMQ-11Visible and Infrared

• Zoom to Best View
• Resolution and area
• Re-usable customization and labeling
• Enhance and color for specific features
• Teravision capable of math on multi-channel
  sensors
• Mark Location
• Ships move relative to the weather
• Automatic Loops of Available Imagery
• Automatic Updating of Internal Web Pages

DMSP Visible Imagery
Oil Platforms (Bright Spots) and Ship Location
(Red Cross)
9
AN/SMQ-11Other Uses

• DMSP SSMI Rain Rate and Winds
• Technology has not wholly spared the US Navy from
  its dependence on the wind.

10
AN/SMQ-11Other Uses

• Volcanic Ash
• Anatahan Island
• Long Range Flights
• Planning for Bombing Range Practice
• Sole Source for USAF Puff Model Comparisons

11
AN/SMQ-11Other Uses

• NOAA AVHRR Ch1 for Dust

12
AN/SMQ-11Other Uses

• NOAA Multi-channel Sea Surface Temperature
• Cloud Masking
• Allowed for Composites
• Leveraged for Dust identification in the Arabian
  Gulf

13
Strengths and Challengesof Polar Orbiter Data

• Strength Precision for Decision Makers
• Location relative to weather
• Customized Zoom, Enhance, Math
• Challenge Data Timeliness (Fog and Rain)
• Carriers regularly travel at speeds 20 knots
• Reset position between launch cycles
• Decision times are at the 20-30 min. scale
• Data needs to be less than 45 min. old
• Processing and Repeat make this difficult
• Especially during long range transit

14
Reachback

• SEAWIFS
• Scatterometry
• Altimetry
• Geostationary
• Infrared,
• Visible,
• Water Vapor
• Benefits
• Static Areas for Ground Speed
• Large Scope / Scale
• Regular Predictable Updates

15
Reachback
Java Satellite Loop, USAFWA, JAAWIN

• Reachback Covers
• Regular Services such as Closed Circuit TV or
  Knowledge Web
• Automated Production of Regularly Scheduled
  Briefs

16
Conclusion

• Shipboard direct readout and reachback each have
  their place, but
• Customer Perceptions must be managed with
  regard to
• Availability
• Resolution
• Latency

17
Direct Satellite Readout of Polar Orbit
Satellites on US Navy Aircraft Carriers

• LCDR Jacob C. Hinz
• Former USS NIMITZ Oceanographer
• 202-762-0588
• jacob.hinz_at_navy.mil