Washington. The US has decided to build and deploy a new generation of spy satellites, likely within the first half of the next decade.

According to Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dennis C Blair, the US needed a constellation which did not leave any gaps, pointing out, “We are living with the consequences of past mistakes in acquisition strategy, and we cannot to do so again.”

While details are classified, it has been disclosed that the new electrooptical spy satellites would likely be built by Lockheed Martin, whose satellites are already the foundation for imagery for the US forces.

Mr Blair said that “Imagery is a core component of our national security that supports our troops, foreign policy, homeland security and the needs of our Intelligence Community… Our proposal is an integrated, sustainable approach based on cost, feasibility and timeliness that meets the needs of our country now and puts in place a system to ensure that we will not have imagery gaps in the future.”

Mr Blair’s predecessor, Mike McConnell, had tried to seek $ 3.5 billion for two satellites after assessing the gaps, but his request was rejected. Nonetheless, the capabilities were reviewed and like former President George Bush, President Barrack Obama has also given his okay, albeit with a rider not to overspend. The programme is known as BASIC, or Broad Area Satellite Imagery Collection.

The programme, now worked out by DNI and the Department of Defense (DoD), aims to enhance the ageing satellite imagery architecture, both by government-owned satellites as well as those by commercial US satellite service providers. In fact, GeoEye and DigitalGlobe have offered to deliver electro-optical imagery at $ 750 million each. They have also pointed out that the money saved could be invested in their next generation satellites.

Published reports indicate that the new BASIC plan would cost around $ 10 billion, to be funded out of budgets of various intelligence organizations. No official word is available though.

Mr Blair only said that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which oversees all US spy agencies, had studied the current and future requirements for the “next generation of electro-optical satellites,” and observed that the government needs “to move forward now.”

A statement issued by the DNI said: The joint decision by the DNI and DoD was based on the results of multiple government studies over the past several years, and on the findings and recommendations of an independent panel of former defense and intelligence experts convened by Blair to assess the U.S. government’s review. The studies examined imagery needs, alternative architectures, cost and affordability, technological risk and industry readiness.

Key features of the final plan endorsed by both the DNI and the DoD include:

• Government-owned satellites would be developed, buil t and operated by the National Reconnaissance Office. The unique capabilities of these satellites, evolved from existing designs, would give the nation a timely, and often decisive, information advantage.
• The Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community would increase the use of imagery available through U.S. commercial providers. This additional capability would provide the government with more flexibility to respond to unforeseen challenges. These less-complex satellites, which are based on technologies already in production by U.S. vendors, would be available sooner than the much more capable NRO-developed and acquired systems – making them especially useful as a nearterm supplement and backup to the government’s existing imagery architecture.
• The National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency would continue to provide the infrastructure that integrates capabilities as well as imagery products – all of which would be available on a timely basis for military, intelligence, foreign policy and civilian users.
• Once Congress approves funding for the plan, implementation will begin in the next several months. The commercial imagery elements of the architecture would likely be operational in the next several years. The overall architecture would be fully deployed before the end of the next decade.

The Director of National Intelligence oversees 16 federal organizations that make up the U.S. Intelligence Community. Additionally, the DNI serves as the principal intelligence adviser to the president, the National Security Council and senior policy makers.