Why doesn't the western Pacific have recon???

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Why doesn't Japan, being one of the biggest economies, and affected with cyclones almost every year, have a fleet of recon planes? It amazes me that a nation that says they are for advancement, and cares for its people, doesn't have a fleet of planes to study cyclones. At the very least, China, is also a large economy; why don't they get a fleet of planes? They have tens if not hundreds of millions of people in striking distances to these monsters, and they don't went to study, or know the true strength of them.

Since China is building up its military, how about some recon planes.

[RL3AO]

Not sure, but I'm certain that Jangmi wasnt the strongest storm since 1995. It was just flown into by recon.

[pojo]

It solely depends on money.... and if Lockheed-Martin will make more modified wC130J aircraft..... it will take years for them to make a single J model and years to train its crews.

[Category 5]

The WPAC needs recon all the time, imagine the valuable data we're missing.

[Aslkahuna]

However, Congress is not of the mind to appropriate money for WPAC recon to protect other country's interests-coveniently forgetting that Guam and the Northern Marianas are US Territories or Commonwealths and that we have many military in Japan. Besides, although the data would be valuable for many lines of research, I would be the last to accuse Congress of actually understanding that notion.

Steve

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

However, Congress is not of the mind to appropriate money for WPAC recon to protect other country's interests-coveniently forgetting that Guam and the Northern Marianas are US Territories or Commonwealths and that we have many military in Japan. Besides, although the data would be valuable for many lines of research, I would be the last to accuse Congress of actually understanding that notion.

Steve

Why does it have to be the United states? How about China or Japan put out some money to build some their selfs; they are rich nation that can make things, at least I would think so.

[DanKellFla]

It solely depends on money.... and if Lockheed-Martin will make more modified wC130J aircraft..... it will take years for them to make a single J model and years to train its crews.

China can make their own airplanes. If they can send people into orbit, they can make their own planes. And probably will.
Now, if they want to buy some from Lockheed-Martin......

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

It solely depends on money.... and if Lockheed-Martin will make more modified wC130J aircraft..... it will take years for them to make a single J model and years to train its crews.

China can make their own airplanes. If they can send people into orbit, they can make their own planes. And probably will.
Now, if they want to buy some from Lockheed-Martin......

I agree,

China has tens of millions of people that our at threat of more severe tropical cyclones then the United states is. They should at least make sure that they have everything in place to keep them safe.

[somethingfunny]

Mmmm.....imagine the hype when the number of Cat5 storms doubles globally after recon flights start in the WPAC....media would have a global warming fit just because measurements became more accurate.

[Ptarmigan]

I am surprised that China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan do not have recon planes, like America and they get hit by typhoons often. Those nations are rich enough and have the resources. I mean if China can send a man to space, why not do hurricane recons.

[Aslkahuna]

There are also issues regarding airspace and overflight permission. When the US was flying recon, we generally had permission to enter other Country's airspace with our military recon aircraft (except for China, North Korea, and Viet Nam) but it's hard to say if the same would happen if China were to take up the mission-particularly if their military were involved. When JTWC was the official agency for WPAC it was easier to schedule recon resources because they were the ones who controlled them. Now that we have the main WPAC RSMC in Tokyo and regional centers elsewhere the coordination is more complicated. There IS another way to get WPAC recon back and that would be if the other countries were willing to pony up the cash to the US for us to do it.

Steve

[Just Joshing You]

Well, having recon fly into a storm does not change the strength of the storm, so I say why bother? Sure, useful information for weather addicts, another storm to hype "OMG DID YOU JUST SEE THE VDM!?! 877 MB 174 FL WINDS OMG!!!"

But there really isn't an actual need.

[Aslkahuna]

Actually there are some very legitimate reasons for having in situ observations from recon on storms worldwide for research purposes. How can we even begin to actually know if climate change is affecting the number and intensities of storms if we don't have the data? In another line of research, do we know if the structure and vertical wind profiles of tropical storms are the same everywhere and what about wind pressure relationships. Do they change over the year in WPAC as suspected and what about the disparity between reported intensities from JT and Tokyo that can not be explained by the use of different definitions of sustained winds. Also, it sure would have been nice to have known the actual pressure in TC Monica at its peak.

Steve

[Cyclenall]

Well, having recon fly into a storm does not change the strength of the storm, so I say why bother? Sure, useful information for weather addicts, another storm to hype "OMG DID YOU JUST SEE THE VDM!?! 877 MB 174 FL WINDS OMG!!!"

But there really isn't an actual need.

That is the wrong way at looking at it. Recon is needed because sometimes Dovark is way off in intensity as seen with Hurricane Norbert. Scientific data is the 2nd largest reason for recon.

[senorpepr]

I am surprised that China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan do not have recon planes, like America and they get hit by typhoons often. Those nations are rich enough and have the resources. I mean if China can send a man to space, why not do hurricane recons.

For what it's worth, Taiwan (ROC) DOES perform recon missions. However, rather than doing fixes like the US, they do upper-level synoptic flights, much like the G-IV missions.

[MGC]

Forget the scientific reasons for recon. Recon saves lives....MGC