WASHINGTON — The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has published a new strategy intended to encourage employees to leverage more commercial technology moving forward.

The NGA is the agency in charge of processing and analyzing satellite imagery as well as delivering products to the intelligence community, military and policymakers. The agency also establishes geospatial intelligence, or GEOINT, requirements for the National Reconnaissance Office, which then collects the imagery from government satellites and commercial providers.

The director’s newest document, the “National System for Geospatial Intelligence Enterprise Commercial GEOINT Strategy 2021-2025,” encourages the intelligence community to leverage more commercial solutions.

“By taking a community approach to commercial GEOINT — one that aligns with our overarching NSG strategic goals, we continue to pave a way forward that not only benefits and supports our global national security needs but expands our partnerships within the growing sector of commercial GEOINT — giving access to responsive and innovative tools and capabilities that will help us meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond,” NGA Director Vice Adm. Robert Sharp said in a Nov. 5 statement.

The strategy outlines a number of initiatives that fall into four broad categories:

  • Drive unity of effort.
  • Diversify sources and build capacity through partnerships.
  • Improve data security and develop processes to mitigate risks.
  • Influence and foster commercial capabilities.

The announcement comes shortly after the NGA released its new data strategy, intended to guide efforts to effectively process the growing amount of information from government, commercial and academic sources.

About Nathan Strout

Nathan Strout covers space, unmanned and intelligence systems for C4ISRNET.

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