The effect may be significant for infantry operations, but weather elements have similar impacts on other units. The following contains other weather effects that are not contained in the WTDA tables.
Low overcast clouds limit the effectiveness of aerial illumination devices. Overcast clouds limit heating of inactive targets and lower target detection range for thermal sights. NVD are limited by clouds blocking natural moonlight or starlight.
CAS and aerial resupply missions are hampered by low clouds. When coupled with high temperatures, humidity decreases the effectiveness of crews in closed vehicles. The use of most NVDs requires about a quarter 23 percent of the moon, 30 degrees above the horizon, scattered clouds, and the sun more than 5 degrees below the horizon.
These display the five weather conditions reported in the forecast. For example, suppose visibility is forecast to be 3, meters or 1. Referring to Figure A-1 , look for the horizontal dotted line representing 3, meters. You see that it intersects solid vertical lines for special operations, mechanized infantry, IEW, light infantry, aviation, artillery, armor, and air defense.
If you serve in one of these type units, you have a weather, impact. To see just exactly what kind and how severe the impact is, you look in the appendix devoted to that type of unit. Note that in some figures, the solid vertical lines extend both up from the bottom and down from the top of the graph. This means there are two ranges of impact for the same weather element. As an example, temperatures can be too hot or too cold.
Step 3. Using the data in Figures A-1 to A-5 , check the functional areas affected by the forecast or observation. Desert climates can range from extremely hot in the daytime to very cold at night, requiring added protective measures. In arctic climates, cold weather periods Windchill factors are produced by a combination of temperature and wind speed. Temperatures of targets and objects on the battlefield at night are important for the use of thermal sights and forward looking infrared FLIR devices.
A difference in temperature or thermal contrast is required for these devices to "see" a target. Normally, heating and cooling are at a different rate for the target and background. Twice a day, in the morning and evening, targets without internal heating come to relatively the same temperature as the background.
At this point thermal crossover occurs and the thermal device does not have the capability to "see" the target. Time of thermal crossover may be only a few seconds when the morning sun strikes a target, or for several minutes on cloudy adverse weather days; this depends on the threshold temperature's contrast required by the thermal device.
Tactical decision aids can be used to predict these temperature differences for planners and estimate length of thermal crossover periods. Severe weather affects most operations by presenting a threat of injury to personnel, damaging equipment and structures, limiting ground and air mobility and air operations, and threatening troop morale.
Electrical storms often accompany severe weather conditions and add the hazard of lightning strikes at munitions storage areas and fueling points. Lightning also may interrupt landline communications and both communication and noncommnunication use of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Illumination and obstructions to visions impact on the visibility required for various operations. They affect the overall planning for Primary products are used by the SWO in preparing tactical weather products. They are usually received in the form of weather observations, forecasts, and climatological studies.
While some primary weather products are passed directly to the Army user, many need to be modified or updated to reflect local observation, local terrain, and mission requirements. Weather observations contain information on existing weather conditions and specific weather elements at specific locations and times. The basic types of observations are surface and upper air.
Observations include Other products such as windchill, pressure altitude, and density altitude can be derived from the surface observation. The WBGT is obtained from medical units and provides information on heat casualty potential. Freeze-thaw depth, ice thickness, current water depth, river stages, and trafficability are obtained from engineer and cavalry units.
They measure temperature, pressure, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction. From these observations, fallout winds, ballistic, and computer meteorological messages are prepared. This paragraph describes weather planning factors peculiar to specific units or selected operations. Air defense operations require environmental information for both deployment and employment. Deployment requires climatological data, trafficability, and severe weather forecasts.
Environmental elements affecting employment vary according to the type of weapon systems used. When missile systems require radar surveillance, elements such as refractive index and precipitation must be known. Other systems require visual target acquisition. Figure B-2 shows the effects of weather on air defense operations. Weather effects on amphibious operations may be beneficial and detrimental. Certain weather condition may help conceal landing operations. Other conditions may hinder beaching and unloading, task force movement, and essential air support operations.
Figure B-3 shows effects of weather on amphibious operations. Armor and infantry operations are influenced primarily by those weather elements which degrade trafficability and visibility. Figure B-4 shows the effects of weather on armor or infantry operations. Artillery operations are heavily weather-dependent. Not only must artillery contend with those weather effects common to all units but also must compensate for a number of special effects pertinent to their operations.
Figure provides a complete description of artillery requirements. Figure B-5 shows the effects of weather on artillery operations. Army aviation is involved in multifaceted operations over the length and breadth of the battlefield.
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