Intel community must find more efficient ways to process data, says ISR chief

Even more important than being able to digitally transmit 1.8 petabytes of intelligence data collected from unmanned aircraft and other sensor platforms is the equally daunting task of turning that data into information that can be used by combatant commanders and senior decision makers, said a top Air Force official.

As good as the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection process is at this time, there's always room for improvement, Lt. Gen. Larry James, deputy chief of staff for ISR is quoted in an Air Force story as saying on Sept. 17 at the Air Force Association Annual Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C.

"The machine definitely has to help the analyst," James said, referring to the Air Force's Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS), which serve as the backbone the Air Force data management mission.

DCGS collects information from many layers, ranging from space sensors to air platforms, cyber networks and other source.

"Getting the data is what counts," James said. He said the entire intelligence community needs to find more efficient methods to process the data into decision-making information for joint warfighters in all U.S. military services, senior leaders and U.S. allies.