Artifact Friday: 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, or the Hurricane Hunters, is a flying unit within the United States Air Force. This is the only Department of Defense organization that is still flying into tropical storms or hurricanes.

The 53rd was activated in 1944 during World War II as the 3rd squadron to track the weather in the North Atlantic between the US and Europe. In 1946, it became the 53rd squadron and in 1946 gained the nickname of Hurricane Hunters. The squadron became inactivated in 1947 but reactivated in 1951 as a long-range weather reconnaissance unit that was based in Bermuda and England.

Since the 1960s, the 53rd has been based in the Southern United States and Puerto Rico. This location was picked to measure tropical cyclones. This is the only military unit in the world that carries out routine weather reconnaissance missions and flies directly into severe storms to collect critical meteorological data.

Typically, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron will measure wind speed, pressure, temperature, and humidity when going into these tropical storms. The squadron flies a WC-130J Hercules to fly directly into the storms. WP-3D Orions (NOAA), which are commonly nicknamed Kermit and Miss Piggy, have radar systems to scan the hurricane's structure and dynamics. They also fly a Gulfstream IV-SP, which flies 41,000 feet in the air and tracks higher- and lower-level winds.

This squadron works in harsh conditions and flies in dire weather to get an accurate reading on tracking and mimicking a cyclone's movements. In 1993, the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron became an Air Force Reserve unit. The hurricane hunters deal not just with weather reconnaissance but with airlift missions, recruiting, and training. The Hurricane Hunters are the best example of all the different areas that the Military covers and is based in. From flying into cyclones to recruiting for the military, the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron embodies some of the lead intelligence and research organizations within the United States.