BISMARCK, N.D. – In recent years, the U.S. Air Force has been rapidly moving to divest its legacy airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. Concerns have been raised over whether new capabilities can adequately replace these essential platforms, which play a critical role in military operations and policy-making. This shift has prompted a bipartisan effort to address the issue, highlighting the potential risks and challenges associated with the move.
This matter has prompted U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, alongside senators Jeanne Shaheen, Deb Fischer, Mark Kelly, and Tim Kaine, all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to dispatch a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The senators are concerned about the Air Force’s strategy, which fast-tracks the retirement of key ISR capabilities. This letter follows a similar one sent by Cramer last year to then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Senator Cramer stated, “In the pursuit of other modernization efforts beyond ISR, and possibly an overly-optimistic prediction of what space can quickly execute, the Air Force is aggressively retiring its current inventory of airborne ISR platforms without investing in replacement capabilities.” The growth in investment and divestment, he added, leaves the military with fewer resources to assess targets and inform policy decisions.
The senators criticized the Air Force for its “history of cutting ISR in order to meet other aspirations” and its persistent commitment to divest these airborne ISR capabilities regardless.
The decommissioning of several ISR platforms includes the MC-12 Liberty, MQ-1 Predator, E-8C JSTARS, RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20s and 30s, and the MQ-9 Block 1. Besides, the Air Force has halted the procurement of the MQ-9As, revealed plans to retire the U-2 Dragon Lady, and has initiated the shutdown of the U-2 training programs. There’s an absence of corresponding developments or acquisitions of new ISR technologies to compensate for these retirements.
Emphasizing the crucial role of ISR, a section of the letter noted, “The importance of ISR cannot be overstated,” citing historical instances like the Cuban missile crisis and the Camp David Accords, where ISR provided vital information for decision-makers.
The letter concludes with the senators expressing their desire for a “candid assessment” from the U.S. Air Force on its ISR responsibilities, while also offering their support in devising effective solutions.
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