Military Decision AidsSupporting military planners and decision makersAs a world-leading weather service and UK Government Trading Fund, we work closely with professional partners across Defence, both in the UK and internationally. We use our atmospheric and oceanographic science capability to meet the needs of military planners and decision makers on the frontline, providing environmental information advantage for the war fighter.

By harnessing our core scientific skills, the Met Office’s Defence R&D programme continually develops and improves the suite of decision aids available to military advisors worldwide. We help translate complex and changeable environmental information into mission-specific performance impacts and benefits.

All decision aid output can be configured to match your system format and requirements.

www.metoffice.gov.uk/defence

defence@metoffice.gov.uk

+44 (0) 1392 885680

Noise evaluation tool (Monet)Monet is our impulse noise prediction model developed by the Met Office. Monet is designed to model the noise from detonations and runs its computation using the vertical profile of the environmental mesoscale model data at the firing location. Major factors for consideration in noise propagation science include temperature inversions, temperature gradient as well as wind shear. These factors, along with other environmental parameters, are modelled within Monet.

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Night illumination tool (Monim)Monim was developed by the Met Office for Defence and enables mission planning to take best advantage of the environmental conditions. The modelling of ambient light generated from: sunlight at twilight, moonlight, starlight, airglow (the faint emission of light by the planetary atmosphere) and cultural light, allows military night vision devices to be used more effectively under the cover of darkness.

Evap DuctThe Evaporation Duct model, or Evap Duct for short, supports radar propagation predictions, traditionally for naval operations. The Evap Duct decision aid models the height of the evaporation duct, as well as profiles of temperature, humidity and refractivity. This physical feature exists over water surfaces whenever evaporation is taking place, and the gradients in moisture and temperature result in a radar refractivity profile that can “trap” radar energy close to the surface in this ‘duct’.

WBGT is a weighted average of three measurable quantities, dry bulb, exposed wet bulb and black globe temperature in response to solar radiation. Our WBGT forecast model aids troops and commanders in assessing the risks of high WBGT to avoid heat illness and to use training and operation time more effectively and safely. Nearly all heat illnesses sustained in both the UK and overseas are preventable, provided risks are assessed and managed properly.

Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) toolNeon provides a prediction of a target’s infrared contrast in dynamic weather, over land and sea and therefore the aquisition range of sensors. Robust forecasting of infrared contrast through dusty or humid atmospheres, both by day and night, means the influence of cloud, solar radiation and particulate matter on the performance of infrared sensors are represented within the model output. This enables military decision makers to maximise sensor effectiveness across the electromagnetic spectrum for the visible, infrared thermal sensors. The latest research includes forecasting the effect of atmospheric dust on sensor performance.

Electro optical infrared contrast tool (Neon)

By accounting for the scattering and transmission of light sources through the atmosphere, Monim improves the planning of covert missions and identification of targets to provide a battle-winning edge. Monim long-range is also capable of providing guidance on light levels up to 3 months ahead.

Evaporation ducts vary from a few metres in cooler climates to tens of hundreds of metres in depth in warm conditions. The base sits at the sea-surface and the positioning of the radar and target, compared to the duct, strongly influences the ability of radar to see the target when compared to standard propagation conditions.

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weather data + surface temperature + radiative transfer modelling = tactical advantage