To the Airmen of the United States Air Force:
As a result of the significant changes within the National Intelligence Community and in response to the 9/11 Commission Report, the Air Force is increasing its emphasis on our own intel activities. Our initial steps were to create our own deputy chief of staff for intelligence as a 3-star billet and establish the goal of transforming Air Force Intelligence.
During an Air Force Intelligence Summit in August 2006, I charged Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, our first DCS/I, to develop a USAF Intel Way Ahead. Early last month he presented me with a flight plan we believe will transform USAF intel into the preeminent intel organization in the U.S. military, with the most respected intel personnel and the most valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. I approved his plan, and have directed its implementation.
Our first step is to realign functions within the headquarters staff to establish the AF/A2 as the single focal point and lead for all Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capabilities. To that end I have re-designated the AF/A2 as the DCS for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, empowering the A2 to be the end-to-end functional manager for all Air Force ISR capabilities. Other significant organizational actions – including realigning the Air Intelligence Agency as a field operating agency reporting directly to the AF/A2 – will occur over the next year.
America’s Intelligence Airmen are precious resources, engaged daily at the forefront of securing our Nation’s security objectives. Accordingly, our Intel Way Ahead also addresses end-to-end Intelligence Airmen career force management, from the focus of our initial technical training to how we develop our intel professionals into leaders for the Air Force and Joint Team. For example, we’re increasing the number of Air Force intel general officer billets in critical Air Force ISR organizations as a first step toward growing the number of Air Force intel leaders in joint billets. Our review will also address ISR system modernization and upgrades and how we might better present of AF ISR capabilities to the joint and national communities. ISR systems such as the MQ-1 and RQ-4 bring additional ISR capabilities, but with their increased persistence, range and numbers, they also present our intelligence professionals greater intelligence exploitation and analysis challenges that will be addressed through enhanced career force management.
Through technological advances and Airmen’s ingenuity we can now surveil or strike any target any where on the face of the Earth day or night, in any weather. A more challenging issue today – and for the future – is determining and locating the desired effect we want to achieve. Because ISR capabilities are at the core of determining these desired effects, ISR has never been more important during our 60 years as an independent Service. ISR has become the foundation of global vigilance, reach, and power. The ISR transformation initiatives we are beginning will further enhance our ability to fly and fight as America’s Air Force.
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To the Airmen of the United States Air Force:
As a result of the significant changes within the National Intelligence Community and in response to the 9/11 Commission Report, the Air Force is increasing its emphasis on our own intel activities. Our initial steps were to create our own deputy chief of staff for intelligence as a 3-star billet and establish the goal of transforming Air Force Intelligence.
During an Air Force Intelligence Summit in August 2006, I charged Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, our first DCS/I, to develop a USAF Intel Way Ahead. Early last month he presented me with a flight plan we believe will transform USAF intel into the preeminent intel organization in the U.S. military, with the most respected intel personnel and the most valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. I approved his plan, and have directed its implementation.
Our first step is to realign functions within the headquarters staff to establish the AF/A2 as the single focal point and lead for all Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capabilities. To that end I have re-designated the AF/A2 as the DCS for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, empowering the A2 to be the end-to-end functional manager for all Air Force ISR capabilities. Other significant organizational actions – including realigning the Air Intelligence Agency as a field operating agency reporting directly to the AF/A2 – will occur over the next year.
America’s Intelligence Airmen are precious resources, engaged daily at the forefront of securing our Nation’s security objectives. Accordingly, our Intel Way Ahead also addresses end-to-end Intelligence Airmen career force management, from the focus of our initial technical training to how we develop our intel professionals into leaders for the Air Force and Joint Team. For example, we’re increasing the number of Air Force intel general officer billets in critical Air Force ISR organizations as a first step toward growing the number of Air Force intel leaders in joint billets. Our review will also address ISR system modernization and upgrades and how we might better present of AF ISR capabilities to the joint and national communities. ISR systems such as the MQ-1 and RQ-4 bring additional ISR capabilities, but with their increased persistence, range and numbers, they also present our intelligence professionals greater intelligence exploitation and analysis challenges that will be addressed through enhanced career force management.
Through technological advances and Airmen’s ingenuity we can now surveil or strike any target any where on the face of the Earth day or night, in any weather. A more challenging issue today – and for the future – is determining and locating the desired effect we want to achieve. Because ISR capabilities are at the core of determining these desired effects, ISR has never been more important during our 60 years as an independent Service. ISR has become the foundation of global vigilance, reach, and power. The ISR transformation initiatives we are beginning will further enhance our ability to fly and fight as America’s Air Force.