METEOROLOGICAL PRODUCTS AND TACTICAL DECISION AIDS

The tasks of the Aerographer have expanded tremendously in recent years. Aerographers provide on-scene commanders with a multitude of forecast aids that greatly influence the success of surface and airborne evolutions.

In this chapter we will discuss various computer-generated products that support the planning and execution of successful surface and land-based operations. We will be describing TESS 3 products that are useful as tactical decision aids, but other products of benefit as tactical decision aids may be found in the Navy Oceanographic Data Distribution System (NODDS) Products Manual, the Naval Integrated Tactical Environmental Sub-System (NITES), the National Oceanography Data Distribution Exchange System (NODDES), and the Joint Maritime Combat Information System (JMCIS).

The intent of this chapter is to provide the forecaster with an introduction to forecaster aids. The applications, limitations, assumptions, and functional descriptions of various aids to the forecaster will be discussed. For operator guidelines, functional descriptions, and technical References refer to the respective operators manual or NAVMETOCCOM instructions.

First, we will discuss computer-generated aids that are referenced in the Tactical Environmental Support System (TESS (3)) and Shipboard Meteortological and Oceanographic Observing System (SMOOS) Operators Manuals.

ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES (ECM) EFFECTIVENESS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Interpret ECM effectiveness display parameters. Recognize optimum locations and flight paths. Identify applications, limitations, and assumptions. Analyze an example output display.

This program provides the capability to determine the optimum locations and flight paths of attack and tactical jamming aircraft by evacuating the effectiveness of a jamming device against a victim radar (user specified) under given atmospheric conditions. Mission planners use this program to determine optimum placement, and ECM outputs are also used to prepare aircrew briefs.

The ECM effectiveness display program provides airborne jammer effectiveness against surface-based radars. Signal strength is calculated and displayed with respect to height for five equally spaced ranges. Input to the program consists of the victim radar and jammer of interest and a refractivity data set from the refractivity data file (RDF).

The victim radar and jamming characteristics are entered/edited using the platform and jammer options, respectively, from the electromagnetic system file (EMFILE). The refractivity data are entered via the Environmental Status option of the electromagnetic (EM) propagation suite of programs.

The restrictions as well as the principles taken for granted in using the ECM program areas follows:

. The ECM program assumes horizontal homogeneity of the atmosphere (horizontal changes in the refractivity structure of the atmosphere are not accounted for).

. The use of this program is valid only for radars and jammers with frequencies between 100 MHz and 20 GHz.

. Effects produced by sea or land clutter are not accounted for.

. No account is made for absorption of oxygen, water vapor, fog, rain, snow, or other atmospheric particulate matter. In general, the contribution of absorption to propagation loss is small compared to refractive effects.

. ECM accounts for the ducting in evaporative ducts, surface-based ducts, and low-elevated ducts, provided the victim radar antennas are within the elevated duct. The program does not, however, properly account for the over-the-horizon region for low-elevated ducts when the bottom of the duct is above the antenna height.

. The victim radar must be surface-based.

. Prior to running this program, a primary refractivity data set must be selected.

. Output from this program is classified and labeled corresponding to the classification of the radar or jammer.

The ECM display program provides a plot of signal strength relative to the free-space value versus height for five equally spaced discrete ranges.

Figure 7-1 shows an example output of the ECM effectiveness display. The ECM output consists of five displays. The displays suggest optimum altitude at each range for most effective jamming. Jamming is most effective where the plotted line is farthest to the right on each display.

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