Airmen now are being trained to use dropsondes to collect weather data to help improve the accuracy of supply drops from high altitude. Air Force Reserve Command “Hurricane Hunters” have used dropsonde technology for years to help collect data on hurricanes for the National Hurricane Center. Using it in combat operations will enable airlift crews to get supplies closer to ground forces, keeping them safer, says Cap. Dale Stanley, a C-130 navigator. Recently, Air Mobility Command’s mobile training team was at Andersen AFB, Guam, training aircrews to use Global Positioning System-enabled dropsondes, reports journalist A1C David Clark.
The Space Force’s work to establish a pool of at-the-ready commercial satellite capacity during a crisis is moving out of the pilot phase as the service prepares to award its next batch of contracts in 2026.
