Secure Iridium Weather Application Platform

ABSTRACT: Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to continue development of the Secure Iridium Weather Application Platform (SIWAP) consisting of 1) a portable device that supports firmware customized to interface with existing field equipment used by the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) and 2) a software application for networked servers used by AFWA, to address the Air Forces need for integrating tactical weather sensors with mobile devices and the Air Force Weather (AFW) enterprise. This device utilizes POC-developed components, COTS components, and new software applications. The innovation in highly-integrated packaging of electronics and secure communications and interoperability will enable SIWAP to add a uniform and consistent Iridium capability to various AFW sensors, and to make data more available to field users. In Phase I, POC demonstrated the feasibility of SIWAP by collecting data from a Kestrel weather device and demonstrating that the collected data appeared in the AFW enterprise. In Phase II, POC plans to develop the hardware to a higher TRL level, subject it to field testing and evaluation, and demonstrate the retrieval of local weather data and alerts. The developed software application running on a networked server will transmit simulated local weather data and alerts to the fielded hardware.; BENEFIT: Developing SIWAP as proposed to fulfill the AFWA requirements and produce it for use by the military will benefit our nations warfighters by giving them greater access to up-to-date weather data in regions where data was not previously available through the AFW enterprise. As a result, more accurate weather data will provide a critical resource for military operations. In the past, lives of warfighters have been lost in accidents such as helicopter crashes caused by a lack of accurate weather data. The benefits of having better weather data available from more areas on the ground, especially remote areas, will carry over to the private sector where business consists largely of the travel and transport industries, which can be affected by the weather. Travel and transport routes on land, sea, and air can be made more efficient and safer by knowing the weather conditions.