WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Air Force officials here announced May 14 a force structure change designating the Air Intelligence Agency at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, as the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.
AIA reported to Air Combat Command, but the new agency will be aligned under the Air Force deputy chief of staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (A2) as a field operating agency.
The change will become effective June 8.
"The realignment of the newly designated, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency under Air Force A2 will underscore the nature of ISR as an Air Force-wide enterprise," said Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for A2.
Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the Air Force chief of staff, said this realignment is a key element in transforming the approach the Air Force is taking to ISR organization.
"Because ISR capabilities are at the core of determining these desired (warfighting) effects, ISR has never been more important during our 60 years as an independent service. ISR has become the foundation of global vigilance, reach and power. The ISR transformation initiatives we are beginning will further enhance our ability to fly and fight as America's Air Force," General Moseley said.
General Deptula chartered three ISR transformation working groups to continue General Moseley's vision and focus in the areas of ISR capabilities, personnel and organization. After thoughtful dialogue and careful consideration of warfighter and intelligence community needs, the Air Force ISR Agency was born.
"The Air Force ISR Agency will now be responsible for broadening their scope beyond the signal intelligence arena to include all elements of ISR," General Deptula said. "The intent is to provide unmatched ISR capability to our nation's decision makers and combatant commanders."
"Last August General Deptula defined the vision of AF/A2 to transform Air Force intelligence into a preeminent intelligence organization; with the most respected intelligence personnel; and the most valued ISR capability," said Maj. Gen. John C. Koziol, the Air Force ISR Agency commander. "This realignment is the result of nine months of hard work by ISR professionals in the Air Force and civilian sector. Air Force ISR transformation will allow us to treat intelligence as an Air Force-wide enterprise, coordinate and integrate ISR capabilities, and present those capabilities to joint warfighters and national users."
The new agency force structure includes the 70th Intelligence Wing and the Air Force Cryptologic Office at Fort George G. Meade, Md.; the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; and the Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick AFB, Fla.
The Air Force Information Operations Center at Lackland AFB was reassigned to 8th Air Force May 1 in a parallel transformation to emphasize cyberspace as an Air Force operating domain.
"The organizational realignments will enable the Air Force ISR Agency to transform our approach to ISR by managing systems, programs, and personnel through a capabilities-based construct, rather than focus on ownership or myriad unconnected budget lines," said Brig. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, the Air Force ISR Agency vice commander.
"My intention is to have this new agency become the focal point for Air Force ISR development and modernization," General Koziol said. "Our team must keep one thing in mind though; this is about delivering the best trained forces and most effective capabilities and how we can conduct integrated ISR operations, with precision at all levels, for air, space and cyberspace missions.
"It's also about organizing, training, equipping, presenting and integrating multi-intelligence all-source ISR capabilities for joint forces commanders through the coalition/joint force air component commander," he said. "I am also looking forward to developing even stronger relationships with the combat support agencies within the national intelligence community. These organizations continue to play a vital role across the entire warfighting spectrum."
"Air Force ISR is on the move," General Koziol said, "and this is an important step forward for world-wide ISR operations and how we forge the way to seamlessly integrate both tactical and national ISR operations."
