53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron

53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
WC-130J of the 53d WRS
Active	1944–1947, 1951–1960, 1962–1991, 1993–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Tropical storm weather reconnaissance
Size	10 aircraft, 20 flight crews
Garrison/HQ	Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
Nickname(s)	Hurricane Hunters
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. Kevin C. Green Jr.
Insignia
Emblem of the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
Aircraft flown
Reconnaissance	WC-130J Hercules WC-130A/B/E/H/ Hercules WB-47E Stratojet WB-50D Superfortress WB-29A/B-29A Superfortress RB-17/TB-17 Flying Fortress B-25/WB-25D Mitchell

The 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (AFRC), also known by its nickname, Hurricane Hunters, is a flying unit of the United States Air Force, and "the only Department of Defense organization still flying into tropical storms and hurricanes." Aligned under the 403d Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and based at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, with ten aircraft, it flies into tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Central Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. The 53d WRS currently operates the Lockheed WC-130J aircraft as its weather data collection platform.

The squadron was activated in 1944 during World War II as the 3rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, tracking weather in the North Atlantic between North America and Europe. Redesignated the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron in 1945, the term "Hurricane Hunters" was first applied to its activities in 1946. The 53d became a part of the USAF before its inactivation in 1947, was reactivated in 1951 as a long range weather reconnaissance unit based in Bermuda and England, and since 1963 has been based in the southern United States or in Puerto Rico with its primary mission the measurement of tropical cyclones. The 53d WRS moved to its present home station at Keesler AFB in 1973, and after being briefly inactivated again between 1991 and 1993, became an Air Force Reserve unit.

The Hurricane Hunters of the Air Force Reserve are distinct from those of the Department of Commerce's NOAA Hurricane Hunters, based at MacDill AFB, Florida, who use a pair of Lockheed WP-3D Orion and a Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft to also fly weather reconnaissance, data collection and scientific research missions. In accordance with its memorandum of agreement with NOAA, AFRC maintains a capability in the 53d WRS for five sorties per day from its home station and two deployed locations in support of requirements for the National Hurricane Operations Plan, or two sorties a day during winter storm seasons. The 53d also provides a subunit, the Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination, All Hurricanes ("CARCAH"), at the National Hurricane Center to coordinate the activities of both organizations.