Establishing a Commercial Reserve Imagery Fleet

<p>Precision-guided weapons employment during and since the Gulf War highlights the critical role space assets particularly reconnaissance systems play in modern military operations. This along with other developments has led to a proliferation of commercial satellite remote sensing systems. Congress directed the National Reconnaissance Office and National Imagery and Mapping Agency to investigate commercial satellite imaging systems as a supplement to national reconnaissance systems. This paper investigates one of the recommendations in the response to Congress: the development of a Commercial Reserve Imagery Fleet (CRIF) to augment national imagery systems during crises. The CRIF concept is explored in detail using the successful Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) model that supplies surge airlift capacity for comparison</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>