U.S. Senator and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) member Kevin Cramer (R-ND) spoke with U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Commander Adm. Craig Faller and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) Commander Gen. Stephen Townsend about meeting their Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) needs during a SASC hearing last week. Assets like the MQ-9 in Fargo and the Global Hawks in Grand Forks help provide ISR needs for these and other commands.
“You and your predecessors have commented on the challenges, given the mass geography you are responsible for, and the challenges in ISR. Are you getting the assets you’ve asked for? Are you getting the assets you need?” asked Senator Cramer.
“ISR is a key part of our intelligence picture and is a global demand. We are short in this hemisphere,” Adm. Faller responded. “We recognize the global challenges and we do the best we can with what we have.”
Adm. Faller and Gen. Townsend reported receiving only 20 and 25 percent respectively of the ISR capabilities they need. Adm. Faller added USSOUTHCOM only gets eight percent of the ISR it needs from the Department of Defense.
Senator Cramer also inquired as to how the newly created U.S. Space Force could assist in their respective missions.
“On December 20, with the signing of the NDAA, we began the process of standing up the sixth military branch in Space Force. Have you been invited into the discussion about how to best man, train, and equip a Space Force to help assist you?” asked Senator Cramer.
“Fundamental to this is information sharing in the space realm, and the space agreements that we’re working on with nations like Brazil, Chile, and other countries will help counter China’s efforts in that realm and continue to ensure that we have positional advantage,” said Adm. Faller.
“Everything we do on the continent has ties to space not only on our side, but on our adversaries’ side as well,” answered Gen. Townsend.
Spread the word. Support the industry. Share the energy.
Follow on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVimPyUygnwakoQ9swHXNA
Follow on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/thecrudelife/
Follow on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-crude-life
Follow on Twitter
https://twitter.com/RealCrudeLife
