Demand for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance is driving the Air Force to move money into the mission from other areas, in an effort to keep up with increasing requests from combatant commanders, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh told the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense Feb. 27. “The desire for more ISR is going up, up, up,” James said. Just in support of Operation Inherent Resolve alone, USAF has helped identify 1,700 bombs and improvised explosive devices, provided some 18 million images and helped take 22 “high value individuals” off the battlefield— meaning they were either killed or captured. Welsh said this demand has forced the Air Force to reorder priorities, noting seven years ago it moved to “shut down” 10 fighter squadrons in order to fund more ISR capabilities. “It’s part of the capacity problem now for fighters squadrons, but we had to go there to get resources,” he pointed out. “When (combatant commanders) tell us ISR is No. 1 we … ask them ‘would you prefer us to invest in more ISR or more (fighter) capacity?’” Welsh said. “That’s where we come to these difficult decisions.”
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.