Selective Reconnaissance Program of the Western North Pacific

Abstract

Faced with the loss, in November 1971, of the tropical cyclone reconnaissance provided by the U.S. Navy's Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One and proposed reductions in the U.S. Air Force's 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron on Guam, a Technique Development Program was established by personnel of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) site at Guam and the Air Weather Service's 1st Weather Wing in Hawaii. The purpose of this program was to establish the accuracy of satellite-derived tropical cyclone positions and intensity estimates and the resulting usefulness of such information when applied as the basis for warnings issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The results of this applied research program would determine whether a satellite-aircraft mix could accomplish future reconnaissance requirements. This mix, coined the Selective Reconnaissance Program, has become an established part of tropical cyclone reconnaissance in the western North Pacific. Resulting in a net savings of over $600 000 during 1972 alone, over 27% of all warnings issued by the JTWC in 1973 were based an DMSP satellite data provided by DMSP sites at Guam; Fuchu, Japan; and Nakhon Phanom, Thailand.