Senators show support for increasing US Southern Command intelligence assets
An MQ-9 Reaper drone flies over California. (Courtesy of Chalk 2)
WASHINGTON — The head of U.S. Southern Command on Tuesday appeared to find a receptive audience to his requests for greater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in the next budget.
Adm. Craig Faller, who will retire as the SOUTHCOM chief later this year, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that his command receives less than 1 percent of the Pentagon’s ISR capabilities.
While he acknowledged that every combatant command wants more ISR, Faller said he can only meet 20 percent of his current ISR needs, with the majority of that supplied through a partnership with Customs and Border Patrol, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.