Article Entry
19 May 2009
Comments:3
Director of National Intelligence to Revamp National Reconnaissance Office
Added by USGIF Category: General
The troubled waters of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) may be calmed if Dennis Blair, director of National Intelligence, is successful in a new effort to revamp spy agency. The DNI has recently pulled together a panel of high-level intelligence experts to pretty much examine examine every facet of the NRO, including its mission, charter, staffing, requirements, organization, funding and relationship to other organizations.
The panel is made up of the following high-level intelligence experts:
- Marty Faga, a member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and a former NRO director;-
- Joanne Isham, head of Washington operations for L-1 Identity Solutions and former deputy director of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
- Paul Kaminski, former undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics
- Tom Moorman, a vice president at Booz Allen
- Vincent Vitto, former president and CEO of the Draper Lab, a private research and development company and vice chairman of the Defense Science Board
According to DoD Buzz, one confidential source who is following the panel said that: “The panel is just another look at a terminally ill patient for whom last rites and pulling the plug is required.” However, according to the article, members of the panel believe that the organization still provides critical capabilities that no other entity can offer. Experts also acknowledge that the NRO is being crippled by interference and conflicting demands from the many groups with which it interacts.
Another challenge that the NRO faces is that is no longer has a director. You all may recall our coverage of Scott Large’s resignation, which came right on the heels of the U.S. government announcing that it aims to buy new spy satellites and order more imagery from commercial providers.
What do you all think? It certainly seems like this high-caliber panel has the talent and vision to revamp the NRO. We welcome your feedback on this.
Tags: Dennis Blair, Director of National Intelligence, DNI, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, NGA, NRO panel, ODNI, revamp of NRO, Spy Satellites, USGIF
This is not to slight any of the people who were selected to work on the problem but why don’t they ever put someone who is a current consumer of the product provided by the agency on these panels? I would think that the need to revamp (if necessary) would be based on the timeliness, quality and real cost of the product that is produced. Who best to understand what needs to change (not how) would come from the group of consumers. Once the WHAT needs to change, then get a 2 or 3 independent groups to provide plans on implementation. This type of operation is at times performed in the commercial when selecting a new CEO. Let the best rise to the top and remove the rest from consideration.
I thought Lt Gen (ret) Trey Obering was running the study? I don’t see his name – but he’s a great change agent (an old boss) and might be able to right the ship…
[...] agency. Well, you all may recall that Dennis Blair, Dennis Blair, director of National Intelligence, recently pulled together a panel of high-level intelligence experts to pretty much examine examine every [...]