An anti-government militia conspiracy theorist organisation known as Veterans on Patrol have given itself the mandate to destroy Doppler radars. The members of the group believe that the NWS Doppler radars are weather weapons. They are now calling for volunteers to “join them in conducting penetration drills on NEXRAD (next generation radar) sites to identify weaknesses which can be used to ultimately destroy the sites.”

An email on this matter was sent to the NWS workforce on 1 May 2025, warning them of the existing threat. Another email was sent to the workforce again on 5 May 2025, but according to CNN, this email “was more action-oriented.”

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The NOAA security office is also confirming that they have had several encounters with the Veterans on Patrol group. From the emails, we learn that the group believes that no laws were preventing American citizens from destroying the ‘weather weapons’.” 

Holding on to this belief, the group is making preparations to enter into the NEXRAD sites and destroy the equipment they feel is weather weapon. NWS employees are now expressing concerns as to why the conspiracy theory group is threatening to attack NEXRAD facilities.

What Are Doppler Radars And How Do They Work?

These radars use the Doppler effect to measure the speed and velocity of objects. The Doppler effect is the change that occurs in a wave’s frequency when there is relative motion between the wave’s source and the observer.

So, a Doppler radar works by bouncing microwave signals off a desired target. By doing this, it can determine how the object’s motion changes the frequency of the microwave when it returns to its source.

These radars can be put to use in weather forecasting, hence making them essential as they can determine motion within a storm’s system. Destroying these radar systems will be bad as they help to determine the intensity of storms, hence helping save lives and properties.

While Doppler radars are often used in warfare, the radars that the Veterans on Patrol group plans to attack are used for weather forecasts. In warfare, these radars are used to determine the speed and direction of enemy war vessels.