Defense Secretary Robert Gates has named the current principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, Scott Large, to become the new NRO director. He would replace Donald Kerr who recently received Senate confirmation to become the second in command to the Director of National Intelligence. Prior to becoming the NRO principal deputy in April 2007, Large had served in the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency.
The B-2 Spirit remains grounded due to safety issues—and the plane’s stand-down is beginning to disrupt planned operations. According to information provided to the media, the stealth strategic bomber from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was originally scheduled to participate in the latest iteration of…