ArcGIS for Defense: Analyzing

Environmental Impact on OperationsJohn Fry

Daniel Barnes

Understanding the environment is

important to the success of the operation

Use of military imagery does not imply or constitute endorsement of Esri, its products, or services by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Credit : af.milCredit : army.mil

Credit : army.mil

• Where can/can’t we

operate?

• What type of asset is

most suitable?

• Where does the

enemy have the

advantage?

• Terrain and Weather

Analysis are part of

Intelligence

Preparation of the

Battlefield

Credit : navy.mil

Analyzing Weather and Terrain Can be a Challenge

• Different data formats

• Workflow scalability

• Organizational challenges

• Data Timeliness

Shapefiles

KMLOGC Map

Net CDF

DTED

CSV

Suitability

LiDAR

Templates

Maps

Tools

Services

Applications Configuration

Weather’s Effect

on Operations

Analyzing Weather

Piracy Performance

Long-Term Operations Situational Awareness Forecasted Suitability

Current Conditions Climate Forecast Conditions

Visualization

of a weather

variable

Analysis

Drought tracking Effects on Operations

Communicating Weather to Decision Makers

“Winds in the Area of Interest will be sustained at

20kts with gusts to 35kts.”

“Waves in the Area of Interest will

between 2.5 m and 3 m.”

“What does that mean???”

“Will my mission be a

success?”

“What platform can I use?”

“You can conduct X operation

at these locations, but not at

these locations.”

ArcGIS

Analysis

Processing Weather Data to Make Sense

Raw Meteorological Values Where Successful Operations Can Occur

Apply Operational Effects

Parameters

Operation Variable Good Marginal Unfavorable

Personnel Temperature -6ºC to 30ºC -26ºC to -6ºC

30ºC to 35ºC

Below -26ºC

Above 35ºC

Military Aspects of Weather

• Utilize scheduled tasks to download

data using batch files

• Analyze climate data

• Identify the anticipated effects of

forecast weather on potential

operational activities

• Military Aspects of Weather is

supported on ArcGIS 10.1 – 10.5,

ArcGIS Pro (Coming Soon)

http://solutions.arcgis.com/defense/templates/maow/

Military Aspects of Weather Template

Climate

Current

Forecast

• Weather averages over long

period of time.

• What are ‘normal’ conditions?

• What are the conditions now?

• Weather variables at locations

• Impacts on operations

• What will weather be like in

the next few hours?

• Forecast weather variables

and impacts

MAOW Template

Accessing Near Real Time Point Weather Station Data

Weather Station

Weather Data Provider

NOAA, 557th Air Wing,

CNMOC, etc.

Table, etc

Web Services Web GIS

Applications

Operational Effects

Analytical Models

Scripts to Retrieve

Information/ Parse

GIS Layer

Operational Effects

Analytical ModelsPublish Web Service

Results GIS Layer Web Service(s)

Accessing Live Weather Station Data

• Live Feeds Group – ArcGIS Online – (http://arcg.is/1kf5gx7)

- Contains a set of live feeds which are published by Esri as ready-to-use maps and layers

- METAR/TAF and BUOY data provided from NOAA

Processing Raster Model Data – Climate/Forecast

MosaicData Set

Native METOC

Data Formats(netCDF,

GRIB,HDF)

Collection

Operational EffectsRaster Functions

ModelCreation

MAOW Template

Scripts to Retrieve

Information

Data Provider

NOAA, 557th

Weather

Squadron,

CNMOC, etc.

Web GIS

Publish/Update Image

Service

Applications

Raster Functions

Image File - native form

Raster Function

Screen request

• Geometric or Radiometric function applied pixel-by-

pixel

• Hyper-efficient “on-the-fly” processing

• Chained together to create “processing chains”

Analyzing Weather

1. Accessing and Analyzing Point Observations

1. MAOW Template – Point Observations

2. Real Time Weather Dashboard

2. Accessing and Analyzing Rasters

1. MAOW Template – Climate and Forecast

1. ArcGIS Desktop - Climate

2. ArcGIS Pro - Forecasts Operational Effects

Photo: U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Areca T. Wilson

DemoMilitary Aspects of Weather Template

Weather Review

Point Observations

• Ingest Point Observations

• Analyze Effect on Operations

Rasters

• Ingest Rasters

• Work with Climate Data

• Raster Functions

Photo By: Cpl. Julio McGraw

Terrain Effects on Operations

Understanding

Military Aspects of Terrain

• Prepare Data

• Conduct Terrain Analysis

• Share Results

ArcGIS for Defense Solutions Offering

Based on U.S. Army Field Manual 5-33 Terrain Analysis

ContentsMilitary Aspects of Terrain Toolbox

Models Python Scripts

Toolsets

Raster Off-road Mobility

Acceptable

Areas

Input

Layers

Classified

Layers

Soil

Vegetation

Slope

Obstacles

Combined

Layers

DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas, U.S. Army

Helicopter Landing

Zone Suitability Leveraging ArcGIS Pro and Lidar Data

Helicopter Landing Zones from Lidar Data

Slope

nDTM

DTM

DSM

Source LIDARRaster

Function

HLZ

SuitabilityIntermediate

Rasters

Output

Rasters

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Adam Mancini

Part of Military Tools for

ArcGIS

Visibility:

what you can see

Linear Line Of Sight

Can the observer see the target?

USMC photo by Sgt. Sara Graham

Linear Line Of SightCan the observer see the target?

Available in ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro

Inputs

• Observer and Target

• Elevation Surface

Outputs

• Sight lines

• Symbolized Observer and Target

Radial Line Of Sight

What can an observer see around them?

USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Timothy Valero

Radial Line Of Sight (RLOS)What can an observer see around them?

Available in ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, and Web AppBuilder (Developer Edition)

• Modified Viewshed

• Observers

• Surface

• Control output with parameters

DemoUnderstanding Terrain's Effect on Operations

Fully documented and maintained

Fully supported

Open source

Find more Defense Solutions atsolutions.arcgis.com

Join Community:

• GeoNet

• GitHub

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