RPA ISR 101: An Operational Primer
(The purpose of this primer is to identify and develop key aspects of ISR employment that FMS customers should consider when fielding new ISR systems. This primer is not a statement of policy or doctrine, but reflects my personal experience in three years of combat operations in joint supporting and supported roles employing RPA.)
Focus First on Getting Data to ISR Customers.
The product of your ISR system is data, which includes the immediate EO/IR video, position information, and information provided by other on-board sensors. This data may be used real-time by command and control (C2) at each echelon of command, in target development, and by forward-fielded joint forces in areas of operation. Your focus on “data first” will help you build the architecture you need to support your priority operations and customers.
To make the most out of your data, identify end-users of your data early, prioritize their requirements, and design a data architecture for the Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) of that data to meet your priority requirements.
Logistics and Sustainment Should Drive ISR Beddown.
Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) locations. LREs should be operated in secure areas with good sustainability and predictable patterns of favorable weather. Having predictable weather and reliable recovery locations will increase your ability to reliably support critical ground operations, and avoid leaving ground forces uncovered during vulnerable moments. When operating multiple LREs, you should disperse them to areas with reliably different weather patterns, and develop agreements between parties and locations to facilitate cross-landing and cross-servicing including launch, recovery, servicing, and weapons load. Because Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) RPAs can fly for long duration and cover long distances, prioritize reliable launch weather and sustainment over proximity to individual supported operations when selecting launch and recovery locations.
ISR Planning. To be effective, ISR must have effective C2, supported commanders need to clearly articulate prioritize their requirements, ISR missions must be aligned to priorities and planned, and ISR needs dynamic processes for re-tasking assets as operations unfold.
ISR C2. ISR should remain OPCON to the theater CFACC, and be operated “in support” of land forces according to theater allocation processes and priorities. To avoid diluting the ISR effectiveness and unity of effort, OPCON and TACON should not be delegated to supported forces, but ISR operating “in support” synchronizes to the supported commander’s intent:
Unless limited by the establishing directive, the supported commander will have the authority to exercise general direction of the supporting effort. General direction includes the designation and prioritization of targets or objectives, timing and duration of the supporting action, and other instructions necessary for coordination and efficiency. U.S. DoD Joint Publication 1 (emphasis added)
CFACC may retain some ISR to meet CFACC requirements, including for ISR needed to deliberately target threats to air domain freedom of movement.
ISR Requirements. Supported commanders should clearly articulate ISR requirements in their requests for support. For unarmed ISR, support requirements may be articulated through a request for ISR support or a collection requirement. Collection requirements are prioritized and processed via joint intelligence (J2) channels. For armed ISR, support requirements may be initiated via a Joint Tactical Air Request (JTAR), which synchronizes Close Air Support (CAS) with ground force maneuver. Operations (J3) channels typically control JTAR prioritization and execution.
ISR May Support Surface Operations and Develop Targets. ISR is inherently flexible, and the same ISR asset may be used to support surface operations and develop targets in a single mission. In an “operations support” mission, ISR may be tasked to support surface operations according to the supported commander’s scheme of maneuver. Alternatively, in a “collection” mission, ISR may be used to understand the enemy and develop targets. In the deliberate target development process, ISR may be used during target discovery, intermediate target development (including positive identification of enemy structures, persons, and objects), and advanced target development (finishing and pattern of life). Deliberate development of targets should be considered as an ISR requirement and prioritized among requirements. Commander’s and operations (J3) planning boards determine the balance of ISR between operations (J3) and collection (J2).
ISR Allocation and Prioritization. The theater commander should allocate ISR among supporting commanders. Supported commanders should prioritize operations, and J3/J2-led operations and intelligence boards should determine a weekly framework to allocate ISR resources according to commander’s priorities. Allocation guidance should clear, but also be flexible enough to allow planners a measure of efficiency while meeting the commander’s intent.
ISR Planning. ISR planners aggregate supported commander requirements and develop a collection plan to meet the prioritized list of collection requirements. A basic framework for a collection plan is below in Figure 1.
ISR C2. During execution, supporting and supported commanders need effective C2 at echelon to make real-time adjustments to ISR collection (and with armed ISR, CAS execution) as operations unfold. At the unit executing ISR, sensor operators and pilots move the sensor and fly the aircraft to meet the supported commander’s intent. To increase synchronization, they may be in direct contact with the supported unit through secure chat or radio. Meanwhile, at the Air Operations Center, a Senior Intelligence Duty Officer (SIDO) oversees overall theater ISR collection operations, and may make adjustments to meet commander’s intent. At the supported surface commands, ISR tactical controllers (ITCs) may provide intent via chat or radio to the supporting sensor operator to synchronize the sensor with ground operations. Meanwhile, at the supported command headquarters, liaison officers such as ISR duty officers work to understand ongoing operations and shape collections and support to meet changing requirements.
Joint Integration. For your fielded ground and naval forces, the most important aspect of operational ISR will be their access to ISR data, and their ability to affect ISR operations real-time. Having an an unarmed or armed asset overhead in support of assault, raid, seizure, and security operations will reduce risk and greatly increase the situational awareness of the surface force and C2, and improve overall mission effectiveness. Focus on establishing an effective communications network to share operational updates and changes in intent, and developing standards for communications and coordination.
