JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, visited the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing here, Sept. 24, to discuss how the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System is conducting ISR, and to benefit from Air Force lessons learned.
Greenert was accompanied by Gen. Mike Hostage, Commander, Air Combat Command.
Greenert attended mission briefings and toured Distributed Ground System-1 to learn how the Air Force acquires ISR information, and gets it back to the decision makers and warfighters.
"The 480th ISR Wing was honored to host Adm. Greenert as a next step in our intelligence partnership with the Navy," said Col. Timothy Haugh, Commander, 480th ISR Wing. "We have a long standing intelligence relationship with the Office of Naval Intelligence.
The Wing provided Greenert with information on current operations and how the Air Force DCGS uses numerous geographically separated, networked sites to produce intelligence information collected by the U-2, RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator. In discussions, it was stressed that using various sites gives the Air Force DCGS weapon system flexibility to switch operations to another station, demonstrating its ability to conduct operations even if one location is shut down due to maintenance.
The Air Force DCGS weapon system provides timely and relevant ISR in direct support of combat operations 24-hours-a-day to Air Force leaders, key coalition partners, combatant commanders and the warfighter.
Haugh believes that information-sharing with the U.S. Navy is important to both services to enhance future operations, and that Airmen can also learn from the U.S. Navy.
He said, "Likewise, our expert intelligence analysts benefit from a Navy perspective as intelligence challenges increase in the Pacific Command area of responsibility."
In addition, sharing lessons learned with the U.S. Navy provides an economic solution in light of the current budget shortfall.
"In a period of decreasing resources, it absolutely makes sense for the Navy to leverage lessons learned for equipping and operating a global ISR weapon system, such as Air Force DCGS," said Haugh.
The hope is that the visit of Greenert and Hostage will lead to increased partnership and information sharing between the two services.
"Admiral Greenert and General Hostage's visit sends a strong signal of support for this partnership, and will only accelerate the positives that are emerging," said Haugh.
The Chief of Naval Operations is the senior military officer of the Department of the Navy. The CNO is a four-star admiral who reports to the Secretary of the Navy and is responsible for the command, utilization of resources, and operating efficiency of the operating forces of the Navy.