Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF’s intelligence leader, told reporters at the Pentagon that there were several factors driving the planned reorganization of the Air Force’s intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance apparatus, including a need to eliminate a costly “disjointed approach to ISR.” He wants to prevent recurrences of system incompatibilities such as the one between U-2 and Global Hawk platforms and the Distributed Common Ground System that will take 20 months and $17 million to rectify. Deptula also said that the service needed to position itself to “viably compete for joint and interagency positions.” And, that is why Deptula asked the Air Force Chief of Staff to increase the number of intel general officer spaces, leading the service to reduce the number of general officer billets it will cut as part of its current force drawdown.
Air Force F-16 pilots are testing out new sensors that could help maximize their performance and avoid deadly accidents while flying fast fighter jets under heavy G-forces and stressful conditions.