By Jen DiMascio
A House Intelligence subcommittee is holding a series of “tabletop” discussions with defense contractors in response to failures in the nation’s satellites and growing Russian and Chinese sophistication in space.
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), the chairman of the House subcommittee on technical and tactical intelligence, said he is working with the office of the Director of National Intelligence, meeting with all of the major defense contractors for their input on the “overhead architecture” successes and failures of the past and present and to look at ways to improve and the potential cost.
“Basically, we have to make sure control of the skies is secure,” he said.
Ruppersberger said he opted for a non-traditional format because the topic is so complicated and sensitive that it’s important to get into deeper detail than is possible with the typical five minute back and forth that takes place at typical hearings.
Also planned are meetings with the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
The effort has gone well so far, he said. Within a year, the process should produce a report, albeit probably a classified one, Ruppersberger told Defense Daily. If Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), the chairman of the full committee agrees, a hearing on the topic will be planned, he said.
The Senate’s bill to authorize intelligence activities in fiscal year 2008 passed last week and is resolving differences in conference with the House.
Language in the House bill points to the problem being investigated by lawmakers and suggests that changes in the largely classified investment strategy could be in the works. “Difficult choices” in that area will direct intelligence dollars to the systems that will help the nation keep its “technological edge,” the House bill states.