The Global Theater Weather Analysis and Prediction System (GTWAPS) will upgrade Headquarters (HQ) Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) analyses and forecasts for a variety of meteorological parameters, and will provide timely and accurate Theater Battle Management (TBM) Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) tailored products. This will enable warfighters and decisionmakers to effectively employ battlefield forces. The GTWAPS will provide both global-scale and theater-scale METOC forecast information, including weather aviation/maneuver impact variables, for peacetime and contingency support to Air Force and Army operations worldwide.
The GTWAPS development contract began in October 1997 when the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center (ESC), Hanscom AFB, MA awarded the systems software/hardware build to a team led by TRW. Under the technical direction of AFWA, Offutt AFB, NE, the system successfully passed its first milestone in April 1998 and is scheduled for full operation in 1999. Initial operational scenarios and demonstrations have been very successful. When fully operational, GTWAPS will be the only system in the world that can in real-time initialize from any meteorological model, and then output, again in real-time, forecast and analysis data for multiple geographical areas anywhere on the globe.