New Digital Strategy for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

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In order to meet the challenges of a highly contested environment, the US Air Force has adopted a new strategy. The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) dominance flight plan that outlines a strategy to maintain a technological advantage in the digital realm has been unveiled recently.

The new strategy is based on a three-pronged approach that involves exploring disruptive technologies and the use of multi-role, cross-domain ISR collection capabilities to boost readiness and lethality. It also envisages investment in people and partnerships to drive culture change.

USAF ISR deputy chief of staff lieutenant general Dash Jamieson said: “The future will consist of a multi-domain, multi-intelligence, government / commercial-partnered collaborative sensing grid. It will be resilient, persistent, and penetrating to support a range of options across the spectrum of conflict.”

The pursuit of disruptive technologies and opportunities will involve three lines of effort, including advancements in machine intelligence (MI), new ways to leverage data, and agile capability development, according to airforce-technology.com.

Under each line of effort, the Flight Plan has prescribed a 10-year implementation plan with goals and corresponding benchmarks. Proposed goals include operating a data-centric enterprise, developing new technology and creating it, and transforming industrial-age constructs into new models driven by digital technologies.

The USAF underscored the need to bolster partnerships with allies, industry, academic institutes, and the other military services to fully carry out the plan.