Air Force lags on sending spy planes to combat zones

[Richard]

A recent Time article on the SecDef emphasizes his (1) impatience with stasis and (2) his emphasis on getting the necessary tools to the war-fighters vs the former SecDef's focus on big ticket, Cold War type projects. Here's just another example of his pragmatism and this focus on his part.

Richard's $.02

Air Force lags on sending spy planes to combat zones
Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 1 Jun 2009

The Air Force has failed to deploy new spy planes to Afghanistan and Iraq even though Defense Secretary Robert Gates has made it a priority to rush the aircraft to troops in combat, according to interviews with military officials and documents.

Gates is concerned that the delivery of the planes to Afghanistan will be "out of synch" with 21,000 troops being sent there by President Obama for a summer offensive against Taliban insurgents, said Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman. The planes are two to three months behind schedule, according to the Air Force. "The bottom line is that Secretary Gates is impatient when it comes to getting war fighters the tools they need to be successful," Morrell said.

The twin-engine spy planes are the backbone of Project Liberty, a program Gates began in July 2008. He directed the Air Force to buy 37 commercial planes and equip them with cameras and sensors to track insurgents. The planes, which carry a crew of four, are intended to complement the Predator and Reaper drones that beam video images of insurgent activity to troops in combat and to commanders worldwide by satellite.

The first plane was scheduled to be deployed April 15, and about four of them by June, Air Force documents show. To date, none has been deployed.

The first plane will be used on a mission before mid-June, said Air Force Brig. Gen. James Poss, director of intelligence for the Air Combat Command. He estimated that 30 of the planes will be in Afghanistan and Iraq within a year.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/militar...hooModule_News