Sparse sampling and representational inaccuracies in global wind observations, particularly over the oceans, southern hemisphere, and the tropics, limit weather and air quality forecast accuracy. Recognizing this in their call for a Doppler wind lidar mission (3D-Winds), the National Research Council 2007 Decadal Survey described tropospheric winds as the “number one unmet measurement objective for improving weather forecasts”. We have recently demonstrated promising performance of an Optical Autocovariance Wind Lidar (OAWL), designed using flexible interferometry-based technology to address the needs of the 3D Winds mission. We will discuss the theory and advantages of the OAWL measurement technique, describe the development of the system under the NASA Earth Science Technology Office Instrument Incubator Program (IIP), present results from the recent ground-based and upcoming airborne validation tests, and discuss the benefits OAWL technology can provide to future operational missions.