Otis to Get Intel Mission: The Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 102nd Fighter Wing will trade in its F-15s for a new intelligence-gathering mission, slated to begin late next year, according to several news reports. It appears that the head of the Mass ANG, Brig. Gen. Michael Akey had it right when he said last fall that intel headed the list of possible missions, once the BRAC-cut Fighters leave the base. However, according to the Cape Cod Times, there is a bad news side to this story: The new mission only requires some 200 airmen—less than half the Air Guardsmen currently attached to the wing.
All of the U.S. military services are pursuing capabilities to complement GPS amid concerns that the constellation is increasingly vulnerable to interference, but a new government watchdog report calls for better coordination and prioritization among those efforts to avoid delays and duplication.
