Assume that you are a relatively junior Air Force officer (captain), who is the project manager responsible for the early research and development of an advanced “stealthy” and compact hybrid imaging radar combining active electronically scanned array (AESA) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modes with exceptionally high-resolution ground imaging, ground moving target indicator (GMTI), and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) capabilities.
While the original concept of operations was for use on a very high-altitude long-endurance unmanned vehicle (HALE/UAV), the sensor would be adaptable to a variety of platforms (DOD and others; “air breather” or in space).
Its future use in the longer term might be as a component in an integrated suite of complementary electro-optical (EO), imaging Infra-red (IR), geophysical, and multi-spectral MASINT and SIGINT sensors. Your present funding is split, initially mostly from USAF MIP and the National Geospatial-intelligence Program (NGP), with additional funding from the MIP accounts of other potential defense component users, with some ancillary support expected from the other national programs.
As you start to plan for next year’s program and budget submissions, with what other resource management offices do you need to collaborate or keep informed of your plans?
