Central ND News

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, along with bipartisan support from his Senate colleagues, has penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin highlighting the crucial importance of maintaining airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The letter emphasizes the necessity of investing in both air and space capabilities to effectively address near-peer threats and meet the mission needs of Combatant Commanders.

In the letter, the senators underscored the significance of ISR, stating, “Whether it’s getting President Kennedy the information necessary during the Cuban missile crisis, getting our allies and partners what they need to maintain the peace of the Camp David Accords, or feeding and completing the kill chain against near peer adversaries and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEO), ISR provides the information necessary for the decision makers at every level.”

Despite ongoing divestment from airborne ISR platforms such as the MC-12 Liberty, MQ-1 Predator, E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20s and 30s, and MQ-9 Block 1, there has been a lack of development of new, modernized airborne ISR platforms. This trend has raised concerns about the protection of troops, increased risk for Commanders, and limited information available to civilian policy makers.

The senators expressed their apprehension regarding the lack of airborne ISR capabilities, citing that Combatant Commanders have consistently reported insufficient ISR support. They called for a candid assessment from Secretary Austin on the Air Force's responsibility to provide ISR capabilities and urged for a meaningful solution to address the existing gaps.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Cramer engaged with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) leadership on critical ISR needs. Additionally, he questioned Secretary Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. on the future of ISR, defense budgets, and the imperative to keep pace with China’s capabilities.

Other senators who cosigned the letter include Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The collaborative effort underscores the bipartisan concern over the divestment of airborne ISR capabilities and the urgent need to address the challenges posed by the current trend in the U.S. Air Force.