Around 2003, the U.S. intelligence and defense communities had a problem. Years earlier, we’d forced together remote sensing and imagery analysis with mapping and charting — two distinct disciplines and cultures — to create the imaginatively named National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). Though we realized the potential advantage this integrated operational approach would provide us over our adversaries, and despite NIMA performing admirably in the wake of 9/11, it simply didn’t work as envisioned. Myriad obstacles, primarily related to history and culture, and to a lesser extent immature technologies, complicated our quest.
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