Gates wants $240M more for ISR

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An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle from the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron takes off for a mission over Iraq at Ali Base, Iraq. The Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft capable of conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets.


Gates wants $240M more for ISR
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 19, 2008 11:45:37 EDT

Defense Secretary Robert Gates approved a request for $240 million in additional funding to get more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors and aircraft over troops’ heads in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The funding would be part of the 2008 supplemental war funding bill if Congress approves the idea, spawned May 6 at Gates’ first meeting with the ISR Task Force he launched last month.

Task Force officials proposed adding more “ISR sensors and leases of contracted ISR aircraft and services” to go along with the MQ-1 Predators, MQ-9 Reapers and Predator ground stations already requested in the supplemental, said Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Defense Department spokesman.

Ryder could not be specific on the types of sensors and aircraft because the information is classified, he said. But, he said in an e-mail to Air Force Times, the sensors, aircraft and services “would significantly increase available airborne ISR combat air patrol dwell time and associated full motion video capability.” Increasing UAV dwell time — or time spent over a target — could require more UAV orbits. The Air Force just increased the number of Predator orbits over the Middle East from 23 to 24, and plans to add another by June.

An orbit entails 24-hour coverage — continually having UAVs replace one another in the air. A longer dwell time would mean fewer UAVs needed to supply the orbit, said retired Air Force Col. Tom Ehrhard, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/05/airforce_isr_taskforce_051808/