A Tasking Construct for Non-Traditional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

This paper focuses on development of a tasking construct to implement a non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (NTISR) collection program at the Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) level. NTISR uses fielded sensors on theater strike aircraft to augment collection capability for intelligence requirements. Exponential increases in theater intelligence collection requirements have created shortfalls in the United States Air Force's ability to meet demand. Traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms have performed exceptionally in Iraq and Afghanistan, but cannot fulfill all theater requirements. NTISR presents a possible solution to augment collection capacity and provide surge capability to theater commanders. NTISR is currently employed in Iraq to augment ISR collection; however, its employment is limited to accomplishment of a few tactical objectives. There are no standardized, coordinated processes to task and collect NTISR. Implementing a NTISR intelligence collection program requires constructing a standardized tasking process. This paper examines issues related to NTISR tasking and proposes a construct to establish a theater tasking process.