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President Approves New Spy Satellites

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By Colin Clark Tuesday,=20 April 7th, 2009 6:46 pm
Posted in Intelligence, Policy, Space

After more than a decade of false starts by the intelligence = community,=20 President Barack Obama approved a new constellation of highly capable=20 electro-optical surveillance satellites.

=E2=80=9CWhen it comes to supporting our military forces and the = safety of Americans,=20 we cannot afford any gaps in collection,=E2=80=9D Director of National = Intelligence=20 Dennis Blair said in a press statement. =E2=80=9CWe are living with the = consequences of=20 past mistakes in acquisition strategy, and we cannot afford to do so = again.=20 We=E2=80=99ve studied this issue, know the right course, and need to = move forward now.=E2=80=9D=20

The National Reconnaissance Office will manage acquisition of the = system and=20 operate the new constellation. Lockheed Martin will build the systems. = They will=20 be roughly similar in capabilities to the existing spy satellite = constellation,=20 a senior intelligence official told reporters Tuesday evening. The new=20 satellites should launch within the next decade.

=E2=80=9CWe simply are not going to launch a program that is based on = long reach=20 technology or unrealistic funding,=E2=80=9D the official said. This is a = clear reference=20 to the disastrous Future Imagery Architecture program run by Boeing, = perhaps the=20 largest intelligence program ever cancelled. The new program=E2=80=99s = contract should=20 be signed within months.

The intelligence official denied that discussions=20 between the Pentagon and intelligence community had been acrimonious = =E2=80=93 as=20 several participants have said over the last few weeks. Instead, he said = that=20 the Defense Secretary and Director of National Intelligence were joined = at the=20 hip on this program. President Obama personally approved the program, = which the=20 intelligence official said was not uncommon for such significant = programs.

In a move that took some observers by surprise, the intelligence = community=20 and Pentagon have decided to buy commercial satellite imagery from = GeoEye and=20 DigitalGlobe. As of last week, there has been no mention of such = purchases and=20 some industry observers were extremely nervous about the direction of = the=20 talks.

=E2=80=9CThe decisions about exactly what arrangements will be made = with the two=20 commercial providers have not been made,=E2=80=9D the intelligence = official said. They=20 should be worked out in the next few weeks. Both the intelligence = community and=20 the Pentagon will buy imagery, as has been the case for years.

As a GeoEye spokesman noted today, his company has already committed = more=20 than $30 million dollars to the next generation satellite, known as = GeoEye 2,=20 and ITT is already grinding its 1.1 meter mirror.

Ground resolution for pictures taken from this satellite would be a=20 remarkable 9.75 inches.

=E2=80=9CWe are really encouraged by this announcement and we think = this move is the=20 right move not only for defense and intelligence customers, but for the=20 taxpayers as well,=E2=80=9D said GeoEye spokesman Mark Brender.

Sen. Kit Bond, the top Republican on the Senate Select Committee on=20 Intelligence said in a March 16 letter to DNI Dennis Blair that a joint=20 CIA-National Reconnaissance Office report endorsed the use of smaller,=20 close-orbiting satellites, adding he thought the new constellation was = =E2=80=9Ca poor=20 choice.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CYou are asking the taxpayers to pay more for a single = article than we paid=20 for the last Nimitz-class aircraft carrier,=E2=80=9D Bond wrote.

Asked whether the program could withstand the ]opposition of such a = senior=20 lawmaker, the senior intelligence official said that =E2=80=9Cwe and the = secretary of=20 defense plan to support this program wholeheartedly and, with the = support of the=20 White House, expect to get this through.=E2=80=9D A second official went = straight to the=20 bottom line and said the intelligence community believed it had the = votes in=20 Congress to pass the program.

Several Pentagon and intelligence community sources have said the new = system=20 would cost roughly $10 billion, with an early injection of some $3 = billion to=20 get it started. The senior intelligence official would not discuss the = program=E2=80=99s=20 cost other than to confirm that the intelligence community would provide = the=20 majority of the funding. That means the Intelligence Community will = possess=20 acquisition authority over the new program.

The senior intelligence official also rejected claims by Pentagon = officials=20 that the new system was =E2=80=9Cexquisite=E2=80=9D or, in the words of = a senior Pentagon=20 official, =E2=80=9Ca Rolex.=E2=80=9D

The senior intelligence official said that =E2=80=9Cif you start = talking about costs=20 of these kinds of machines you really need to start with the premise = that our=20 mission here is one of the most challenging we do.=E2=80=9D But in light = of that, the=20 government will not be =E2=80=9Cmoving to another plateau of = performance. These systems=20 that we are building will be the functional equivalent to the ones we = have been=20 buying over the last several years.=E2=80=9D

The reason for that is two-fold. First, the disaster of FIA marked = all those=20 associated with it. Second, as the intelligence official noted, = =E2=80=9Cthe industrial=20 base for these satellites is very narrow and very thin=E2=80=9D so the = country does not=20 want to push for more than it could handle.

Following is today=E2=80=99s press release about the new = constellation from the=20 Director of National Intelligence:

DNI Blair Announces Plan for the Next Generation of Electro-Optical=20 Satellites

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair announced today = that the=20 Office of the DNI along with the Department of Defense (DoD) have put = together a=20 plan to modernize the nation=E2=80=99s aging satellite-imagery = architecture by prudently=20 evolving government-owned satellite designs and enhancing use of U.S. = commercial=20 providers.

=E2=80=9CImagery is a core component of our national security that = supports our=20 troops, foreign policy, homeland security and the needs of our = Intelligence=20 Community,=E2=80=9D Blair said. =E2=80=9COur proposal is an integrated, = sustainable approach=20 based on cost, feasibility and timeliness that meets the needs of our = country=20 now and puts in place a system to ensure that we will not have imagery = gaps in=20 the future.

=E2=80=9CWhen it comes to supporting our military forces and the = safety of Americans,=20 we cannot afford any gaps in collection,=E2=80=9D Blair added. = =E2=80=9CWe are living with the=20 consequences of past mistakes in acquisition strategy, and we cannot = afford to=20 do so again. We=E2=80=99ve studied this issue, know the right course, = and need to move=20 forward now.=E2=80=9D

The joint decision by the DNI and DoD was based on the results of = multiple=20 government studies over the past several years, and on the findings and=20 recommendations of an independent panel of former defense and = intelligence=20 experts convened by Blair to assess the U.S. government=E2=80=99s = review. The studies=20 examined imagery needs, alternative architectures, cost and = affordability,=20 technological risk and industry readiness.

Key features of the final plan endorsed by both the DNI and the DoD = include:=20

Government-owned satellites would be developed, built and operated by = the=20 National Reconnaissance Office. The unique capabilities of these = satellites,=20 evolved from existing designs, would give the nation a timely, and often = decisive, information advantage.

The Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community would = increase the=20 use of imagery available through U.S. commercial providers. This = additional=20 capability would provide the government with more flexibility to respond = to=20 unforeseen challenges. These less-complex satellites, which are based on = technologies already in production by U.S. vendors, would be available = sooner=20 than the much more capable NRO-developed and acquired systems =E2=80=93 = making them=20 especially useful as a near-term supplement and backup to the = government=E2=80=99s=20 existing imagery architecture.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency would continue to provide = the=20 infrastructure that integrates capabilities as well as imagery products = =E2=80=93 all of=20 which would be available on a timely basis for military, intelligence, = foreign=20 policy and civilian users.

Once Congress approves funding for the plan, implementation will = begin in the=20 next several months. The commercial imagery elements of the architecture = would=20 likely be operational in the next several years. The overall = architecture would=20 be fully deployed before the end of the next decade.

The Director of National Intelligence oversees 16 federal = organizations that=20 make up the U.S. Intelligence Community. Additionally, the DNI serves as = the=20 principal intelligence adviser to the president, the National Security = Council=20 and senior policy makers.

Join the Conversation

	Jamie=20 Holts April=20 7th, 2009 at 7:05 pm I discovered your homepage by coincidence. Very interesting = posts=20 and well written. I will put your site on my blogroll. = =20
	Jamie=20 Holts April=20 7th, 2009 at 7:06 pm Nice writing style. I look forward to reading more in the=20 future.
	Jamie=20 Holts April=20 7th, 2009 at 7:20 pm I=E2=80=99ve been reading along for a while now. I just wanted = to drop you a=20 comment to say keep up the good work.
	lyndas9254 April=20 8th, 2009 at 4:03 pm I think he=E2=80=99s right to do what we have to to keep = Americans safe and=20 give the military what they need to be successful. This was an = intersting=20 read. Lynda
	DensityDuck April=20 8th, 2009 at 6:59 pm What=E2=80=99s with the blog-spam recently?
	anthony April=20 9th, 2009 at 6:39 am Yes it is a good idea that president obama decided to new spy = satellite=20 for the safety not only for the americans but also to the asian = allied=20 nations that depends on the USA.
	Daniel=20 Kenny April=20 9th, 2009 at 6:42 am I think that our president is doing an outstanding job and = seems to be=20 extremely responsible. I personally respect the grounds he walks=20 on
	Embee-el April=20 9th, 2009 at 7:07 am One immediate fallout of all this was that on Wednesday, April = 8th, the=20 current Director of NRO, Scott Large, submitted his resignation to = the=20 DNI. The reason for the departure is unknown and was not mentioned = in=20 Large=E2=80=99s e-mail to the workforce yesterday afternoon. The = speculation was=20 that since Large was a key manager for the failed FIA program, it = would=20 not be politically acceptable for him to continue as the NRO = Director=20 responsible for the acquisition of the new satellites, which are=20 effectively the replacement programs for the failed FIA = program.
	BoBo=20 April=20 9th, 2009 at 10:34 am Good STUFF But someone better be aware that the need for = HUMINT=20 needs to be NOT over-looked as the tech. materials are approved. = remember=20 WHO the enemy IS!! B.B.
	Apache = April=20 9th, 2009 at 11:43 am What must be done, is to be done with great measure=E2=80=A6.to = Protect and=20 Defend all who are lambs of evil deterrants=E2=80=A6the Best of = Men=E2=80=A6Our President=20 is leaning on this=E2=80=A6..Making decisions to offset the = devices of many=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6.If=20 the Congressman and Governors will stop picking at every stance, = will=20 afford him room to do what is right, and become solvent in = protecting=20 rights of this Nation that proclaims the fervent belief that We = are about=20 Freedom=E2=80=A6.!
	bambooviper April=20 9th, 2009 at 1:22 pm Looks like President Obama is on a roll.
	EWCM=20 April=20 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm Yes good move, but somone with as little experience as he has = had=20 better listen to those whom have walked the walk. Less than 3 = months on=20 the job, I still don=E2=80=99t see much progress for the future = from your=20 president.
	Charles=20 Phillips April=20 9th, 2009 at 3:44 pm One question that I=E2=80=99d like to see answered - so we can = have a new=20 satellite system maybe as early as the next Administration. Will = our=20 current fleet work until the next ones are launched? Or will this = civilian=20 imagery be the replacement? And of course the new program will = be a=20 model of on time delivery and meeting performance goals? What has = changed=20 in the acquisition world to make the new program go better than = every=20 other bloated, over budget, under performing one before = it??
	Colin=20 Clark April=20 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm Charles Phillips, The intelligence official told us that the first of the new = satellites=20 would probably launch within a decade. It=E2=80=99s unclear = whether he meant by=20 2010 =E2=80=94 which I doubt =E2=80=94 or by 2019. I think, given = the long lead times for=20 most of these satellites, that we will see much in less than 4-5 = years at=20 best. The civilian imagery is something they have been doing for = years. It=20 serves to supplement the intel gained from the high rez sats and = allow us=20 to share more imagery with allies.
	Chuck=20 Eiland April=20 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm =E2=80=9Csecret spy satellite=E2=80=9D Hmmm, it=E2=80=99s not = secret anymore! Why do we always=20 have to bragg that we have a =E2=80=9CSecret=E2=80=9D. Just do it! = Our peeps always have=20 the =E2=80=9CBig Mouth=E2=80=9D syndrome even though I know that = there are =E2=80=9Cleaks=E2=80=9D. There=20 wouldn=E2=80=99t be as much if we curtailled the information flow. = Just an=20 opinion.
	JLC=20 April=20 9th, 2009 at 6:51 pm I am glad to see this pres do something.The day after N = Korea=20 launches a rocket he announces ending the missle shield = program.=20 Personally speaking. I question, Does this man have the resolve = to=20 protect America?
	Charles=20 April=20 9th, 2009 at 7:37 pm Obama makes a great Republican. *** btw, re 9/11 and the reason for spy satellites and general=20 militarism=E2=80=A6 =E2=80=9CActive Thermitic Material Discovered In Dust From The = 9/11 World Trade=20 Center Catastrophe=E2=80=9D brief info: http://visibility911.com/blog/?p=3D996
	Recon-Team April=20 9th, 2009 at 9:51 pm What the hell is with all of you morons and your idea of some = great=20 zionist 9/11 conspiracy?! There are terrorists out there that want = to=20 destroy America and everything it used to stand for. (although = Obama could=20 end up doing that) Why need new satellites to replace old ones, the technology has = improved and we can benefit from them. It is as simple as that. = Satellite=20 images not to mention others picking up electronic signals are = very=20 important to the military and national defense.
	Recon-Team April=20 9th, 2009 at 9:53 pm Turns out I was only addressing one moron. No offense to the = rest of=20 you.
	Charles=20 April=20 10th, 2009 at 1:21 pm The question is: How did the terrorists (whoever they are) get = hold of=20 highly refined nano-thermite and gain access to the buildings? = Moron=20 back.
	DensityDuck April=20 10th, 2009 at 9:26 pm It was clearly the work of the Bavarian Illuminati. I mean, = were there=20 any Bavarians anywhere NEAR New York on 9/11? I. Don=E2=80=99t. = THINK.=20 so!
	anthony=20 April=20 11th, 2009 at 12:23 pm We must stay ahead in the Space Age were rockets and satillets = need=20 constant upgrading.
	wothling@aol.com April=20 11th, 2009 at 5:12 pm Bill -This is a good website that gives a general overview of = direction=20 we`re going.The satellite upgrade is of particular interest.You = can=20 imagine the behind the scenes =E2=80=9Cbattle royal=E2=80=9D that = went on at the=20 Pentagon. Happy Easter! Bill
	paul=20 April=20 13th, 2009 at 2:39 pm Gome!Yes,collection is a prime security and =E2=80=9CDo it = well=20 man.=E2=80=9D

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