AFRC’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron “Hurricane Hunters” from Keesler AFB, Miss., have flown their last mission of the 2005 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season—a record season with more than 145 missions covering 25 storms. (The unit also got displaced to Dobbins ARB, Ga., courtesy of Hurricane Katrina.) The Hunters flew their first storm of the season in May, responding to Hurricane Adrian off the coast of Central America. The last was Hurricane Epsilon earlier this month. Every mission the unit flew this season was in their new WC-130J Hercules, completing a conversion to the J model two years early.
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.
