National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Explained

Agency Name:National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Coordinates:38.7532°N -77.1969°W
Motto:"Know the Earth, Show the Way... from Seabed to Space"
Seal:US-NationalGeospatialIntelligenceAgency-2008Seal.svg
Picture Width:250px
Picture Caption:NGA Campus East, headquarters of the agency
Preceding1:Defense Mapping Agency, Central Imagery Office, and Defense Dissemination Program Office
Headquarters:Fort Belvoir, Virginia, U.S.[1]
Employees:About 14,500[2]
Budget:Classified [3]
Chief1 Name:Milancy Harris (acting)
Chief1 Position:Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
Chief2 Name:VADM Frank D. Whitworth III, USN[4]
Chief2 Position:Director
Chief3 Name:Tonya Wilkerson
Chief3 Position:Deputy Director[5]
Chief4 Name:Brig Gen. Max Pearson
Chief4 Position:Associate Director for Operations
Parent Department:Department of Defense
Footnotes:[6]

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security. Initially known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) from 1996 to 2003, it is a member of the United States Intelligence Community.[7]

NGA headquarters, also known as NGA Campus East or NCE, is located at Fort Belvoir North Area in Springfield, Virginia. The agency also operates major facilities in the St. Louis, Missouri area (referred to as NGA Campus West or NCW), as well as support and liaison offices worldwide. The NGA headquarters, at, is the third-largest government building in the Washington metropolitan area after The Pentagon and the Ronald Reagan Building.[8]

In addition to using GEOINT for U.S. military and intelligence efforts, NGA provides assistance during natural and artificial disasters, aids in security planning for major events such as the Olympic Games,[9] disseminates maritime safety information,[10] and gathers data on climate change.[11]

The eighth and current director of the agency is Vice Admiral Frank D. Whitworth III.

History

U.S. mapping and charting efforts remained relatively unchanged until World War I, when aerial photography became a major contributor to battlefield intelligence. Using stereo viewers, photo-interpreters reviewed thousands of images. Many of these were of the same target at different angles and times, giving rise to what became modern imagery analysis and mapmaking.

Engineer Reproduction Plant (ERP)

The Engineer Reproduction Plant was the Army Corps of Engineers's first attempt to centralize mapping production, printing, and distribution. It was located on the grounds of the Army War College in Washington, D.C. Previously, topographic mapping had largely been a function of individual field engineer units using field surveying techniques or copying existing or captured products. In addition, ERP assumed the "supervision and maintenance" of the War Department Map Collection, effective April 1, 1939.

Army Map Service (AMS) / U.S. Army Topographic Command (USATC)

With the advent of the Second World War aviation, field surveys began giving way to photogrammetry, photo interpretation, and geodesy. During wartime, it became increasingly possible to compile maps with minimal field work. Out of this emerged AMS, which absorbed the existing ERP in May 1942. It was located at the Dalecarlia Site (including buildings now named for John C. Frémont and Charles H. Ruth) on MacArthur Blvd., just outside Washington, D.C., in Montgomery County, Maryland, and adjacent to the Dalecarlia Reservoir. AMS was designated as an Engineer field activity, effective July 1, 1942, by General Order 22, OCE, June 19, 1942. The Army Map Service also combined many of the Army's remaining geographic intelligence organizations and the Engineer Technical Intelligence Division. AMS was redesignated the U.S. Army Topographic Command (USATC) on September 1, 1968, and continued as an independent organization until 1972, when it was merged into the new Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) and redesignated as the DMA Topographic Center (DMATC) (see below).

Aeronautical Chart Plant (ACP)

After the war, as airplane capacity and range improved, the need for charts grew. The Army Air Corps established its map unit, which was renamed ACP in 1943 and was located in St. Louis, Missouri. ACP was known as the U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC) from 1952 to 1972 (See DMAAC below).

National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC)

Shortly before leaving office in January 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the creation of the National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC), a joint project of the CIA and DIA. NPIC was a component of the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology (DDS&T) and its primary function was imagery analysis.[12] NPIC became part of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (now NGA) in 1996.[13]

Directors of NPIC
Director Tenure
May 1953 – July 1973
July 1973 – May 1978
June 1978 – February 1984
February 1984 – January 1988
February 1988 – February 1991
February 1991 – September 1993
October 1993 – September 1996

Cuban Missile Crisis

See main article: Cuban Missile Crisis. NPIC first identified the Soviet Union's basing of missiles in Cuba in 1962. By exploiting images from U-2 overflights and film from canisters ejected by orbiting Corona satellites,[14] NPIC analysts developed the information necessary to inform U.S. policymakers and influence operations during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Their analysis garnered worldwide attention when the Kennedy Administration declassified and made public a portion of the images depicting the Soviet missiles on Cuban soil; Adlai Stevenson presented the images to the United Nations Security Council on October 25, 1962.

Defense Mapping Agency (DMA)

The Defense Mapping Agency was created on January 1, 1972, to consolidate all U.S. military mapping activities. DMA's "birth certificate", DoD Directive 5105.40, resulted from a formerly classified Presidential directive, "Organization and Management of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Community" (November 5, 1971), which directed the consolidation of mapping functions previously dispersed among the military services.[15] DMA became operational on July 1, 1972, pursuant to General Order 3, DMA (June 16, 1972). On October 1, 1996, DMA was folded into the National Imagery and Mapping Agency – which later became NGA.[16]

DMA was first headquartered at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C, then at Falls Church, Virginia. Its mostly civilian workforce was concentrated at production sites in Bethesda, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and St. Louis, Missouri. DMA was formed from the Mapping, Charting, and Geodesy Division, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and from various mapping-related organizations of the military services.[17]

DMAHC was formed in 1972 when the Navy's Hydrographic Office split its two components: The charting component was attached to DMAHC, and the survey component moved to the Naval Oceanographic Office, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on the grounds of what is now the Stennis Space Center. DMAHC was responsible for creating terrestrial maps of coastal areas worldwide and hydrographic charts for DoD. DMAHC was initially located in Suitland, Maryland, but later relocated to Brookmont (Bethesda), Maryland.

DMATC was located in Brookmont (Bethesda), Maryland. It was responsible for creating topographic maps worldwide for DoD. DMATC's location in Bethesda, Maryland is the former site of NGA's headquarters.

DMAHC and DMATC eventually merged to form DMAHTC, with offices in Brookmont (Bethesda), Maryland.

DMAAC originated with the U.S. Air Force's Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC) and was located in St. Louis, Missouri.

National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)

NIMA was established on October 1, 1996, by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997.[18] The creation of NIMA followed more than a year of study, debate, and planning by the defense, intelligence, and policy-making communities (as well as the Congress) and continuing consultations with customer organizations. The creation of NIMA centralized responsibility for imagery and mapping.

NIMA combined the DMA, the Central Imagery Office (CIO), and the Defense Dissemination Program Office (DDPO) in their entirety, and the mission and functions of the NPIC. Also merged into NIMA were the imagery exploitation, dissemination, and processing elements of the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office.

NIMA's creation was clouded by the natural reluctance of cultures to merge and the fear that their respective missions—mapping in support of defense activities versus intelligence production, principally in support of national policymakers—would be subordinated, each to the other.[19]

NGA

With the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 on November 24, 2003,[20] NIMA was renamed NGA to better reflect its primary mission in the area of GEOINT.[21]

2005 BRAC and Impact on NGA

As a part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, all major Washington, D.C.–area NGA facilities, including those in Bethesda, Maryland; Reston, Virginia; and Washington, D.C., would be consolidated at a new facility at the Fort Belvoir proving grounds. This new facility, later known as NCE, houses several thousand people and is situated on the former Engineer Proving Ground site near Fort Belvoir. NGA facilities in St. Louis were not affected by the 2005 BRAC process.[22]

The cost of the new center, as of March 2009, was expected to be $2.4 billion. The center's campus is approximately 2400000square feet and was completed in September 2011.[23]

Next NGA St. Louis

NGA is currently constructing a new facility in St. Louis, Missouri, Next NGA St. Louis, at a cost of $1.7 billion. The facility is expected to hold 3,000 employees and open by 2025.[24] St. Louis' city legislature is currently reconsidering legislation to surround Next NGA St. Louis with a protection zone that would bar certain businesses, such as gas stations, hazardous material companies, and foreign government-supported enterprises, from building around the site for security purposes.[25]

Organization

Agency structure

Executive Leadership Team

NGA is headed by a director, currently Navy Vice Adm. Frank D. Whitworth; the director is followed in precedence by the deputy director and chief of staff, currently Brett Markham.[26] The holders of these three offices comprise NGA's executive leadership team.

Chief of Staff

While NGA's director and deputy director oversee the agency as a whole, the Chief of Staff is tasked with overseeing NGA's executive support staff, administrative services, logistics, personnel security, human resources, employee training and development, corporate communications, and congressional engagement.[26]

Directorates and directorate leaders

NGA is split into various directorates led by directors (D/XX) and associate deputy directors (ADD/XX) with "XX" standing in for each directorate's two-letter designation.[26] Known directorates and leadership figures include but are not limited to the:

An Analysis and Production Directorate (P or "Production" Directorate) existed in 2011,[29] although NGA presently has a Directorate for Analysis which may be a replacement or separated portion of the Analysis and Production Directorate.

The deputy associate director of operations directly oversees NGA Operations Center (itself led by a director and deputy director)[26] the Office of NGA Defense, the Office of Expeditionary Operations, and NGA leadership at the three National Reconnaissance Office Aerospace Data facilities.[35]

Other internal groups and leaders

NGA contains NGA Support Teams (NST), which work with directorates, are detailed internationally, deploy with warfighters, or liaise with service branches.[26] Multiple NGA Command NSTs also exist. NGA's western operations, such as the construction of Next NGA St. Louis campus in St. Louis, Missouri, are headed by the NGA St. Louis executive (who can concurrently serve in other leadership roles).[35] There is also an NGA Equality Executive. Other organizations present in NGA, which may or may not be components of directorates, include:

Additionally, military Service GEOINT Offices (SGOs) liaise with NGA, but belong to their respective military service branches and represent their geospatial intelligence needs.[39] The Canadian Armed Forces deploys a liaison team to NGA; that team's operations officer also acts as NGA's Commonwealth liaison.[38]

NGA is a member of the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) and the larger Allied System for Geospatial Intelligence (ASG), which includes close allies Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.[38] The U.S. and those four nations also form the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.[51]

Employees

NGA employs professionals in aeronautical analysis, cartography, geospatial analysis, imagery analysis, marine analysis, the physical sciences, geodesy, computer and telecommunication engineering, and photogrammetry, as well as those in the national security and law enforcement fields.

List of NIMA / NGA Directors

This table lists all Directors of the NIMA and NGA and their term of office. The agency transitioned from NIMA to NGA during Lieutenant General King's directorship.

Civilian, Department of Defense, and Intelligence Community activities

NGA was integral in helping the Department of Defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community pinpoint the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan where Osama bin Laden hid for several years and to plan the raid that killed him.[52] [53]

Controversies

NIMA / NGA has been involved in several controversies.

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NGA Campus East Fact Sheet. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221155050/https://www1.nga.mil/MediaRoom/Press%20Kit/Documents/Factsheets/NCE_Factsheet_Final%28V4%29.pdf. February 21, 2014. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: About NGA . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . May 23, 2021.
  3. News: U.S. spy network's successes, failures and objectives detailed in 'black budget' summary. August 29, 2013 . August 29, 2013 . Barton . Gellman . Greg Miller . The Washington Post .
  4. Web site: United States Navy Flag Officers (Public), June 2022. 2 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220601223706/https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Career/Detailing/Flag/June%202022%20Roster%20Public.pdf?ver=8jKgo_iJAMZNGNqjNt9ULA%3D%3D. 1 June 2022. MyNavyHR.
  5. Web site: About NGA . August 5, 2021 . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210805133044/https://www.nga.mil/about/About_Us.html . August 5, 2021.
  6. Web site: GSP - GSP. www.esa.int.
  7. Web site: 10 U.S. Code § 441 - Establishment. LII / Legal Information Institute.
  8. Web site: Geospatial intelligence HQ is now DC's 3rd largest federal office building. Serbu. Jared. 2011-09-27. Federal News Radio. 2016-03-19.
  9. Web site: About NGA. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095644/https://www1.nga.mil/about/Pages/default.aspx. October 6, 2014. mdy-all.
  10. Web site: Maritime Safety Information. 2021-10-23. msi.nga.mil.
  11. News: Perez . Lisbeth . June 3, 2021 . NGA Crunching Climate Change Data for National Security Decision-Making . MeriTalk . June 30, 2021.
  12. Web site: Thirty ... and thriving. December 1, 1991. Central Intelligence Agency. 1ff. May 30, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308121751/http://www.foia.cia.gov/docs/DOC_0000760197/0000760197_0001.gif. March 8, 2012. mdy-all.
  13. Web site: Jan. 18, 1961: National Photographic Interpretation Center. www.nga.mil. August 9, 2017. July 2, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190702184512/https://www.nga.mil/About/History/NGAinHistory/Pages/NPIC.aspx. dead.
  14. https://www.nga.mil/StaticFiles/OCR/nga_history.pdf NGA History
  15. Web site: Nixon. Richard. Richard Nixon. Memorandum, Subject: Organization and Management of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Community. November 5, 1971. gwu.edu. August 12, 2007.
  16. Web site: Defense Mapping Agency . NGA.mil . March 8, 2016 . July 2, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190702033345/https://www.nga.mil/ABOUT/HISTORY/NGAINHISTORY/Pages/DefenseMappingAgency.aspx . dead .
  17. Web site: U.S. National Archives. Guide to Federal Records: Records of the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA). National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). August 12, 2007.
  18. Web site: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997. September 23, 1996. GovInfo . February 10, 2008.
  19. Web site: dead . The Information Edge: Imagery Intelligence and Geospatial Information in an Evolving National Security Environment (Report of the Independent Commission on the NIMA) . December 2000 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090919163543/http://www.nga.mil/StaticFiles/OCR/nima_commission.pdf . September 19, 2009 . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency .
  20. Web site: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. November 24, 2003. GovInfo . February 10, 2008.
  21. Web site: Pathfinder . NGA . September–October 2003 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090919163615/http://www.nga.mil/ast/fm/acq/Sep-Oct2003Path.pdf. September 19, 2009. mdy-all.
  22. Web site: dead . New Campus East . https://web.archive.org/web/20091105110003/http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/nga01/index.jsp?epi-content=GENERIC&itemID=b448be562b6fe010VgnVCMServer3c02010aRCRD&beanID=1629630080&viewID=Article . November 5, 2009 . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency .
  23. Davenport, Christian, "Projects' Costs Are Rising", The Washington Post, March 31, 2009, p. B4
  24. News: Bernthal . Jeff . June 7, 2021 . Progress visible at Next NGA St. Louis site in north St. Louis . Fox2Now . June 29, 2021.
  25. News: Ryan . Monica . June 29, 2021 . 'Protection' district being reconsidered around NGA site . Fox2Now . June 30, 2021.
  26. Web site: Brett Markham, Chief of Staff . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 9, 2021.
  27. Web site: Investigative Summaries for 26 National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigative cases, 2008-2010 . July 11, 2021 . Government Attic .
  28. Web site: Susan Kalweit . insaonline.org . . August 13, 2021.
  29. June 2011 . Management of Hard Copy Mapping Products in the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Inspection Report . . July 9, 2021.
  30. . DNI HAINES STATEMENT ON THE PRESIDENT'S INTENT TO NOMINATE DR. STACEY DIXON AS PDDNI . . April 21, 2021 . July 11, 2021.
  31. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Legal Guide: Legal Considerations on the Proper Collection and Use of Social Media Information, 2012 . Government Attic . July 11, 2021.
  32. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Instruction (NI) 1000.7R1: NGA Instruction for Personal Relationships in the Workplace, 2004 . Government Attic . July 11, 2021.
  33. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGIA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Assessment of Management and Performance Challenges for FY 2007 to 2013 Agency Financial Reports . Government Attic . July 11, 2021.
  34. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) response to a Congressional request for "agency"-specific information on climate change, 2013 . Government Attic . July 11, 2021.
  35. Web site: NGA appoints agency's new west executive, deputy associate director for operations . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 9, 2021.
  36. Web site: Inspector General . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  37. Web site:
  38. . Pathfinder Vol. 15 No. 1. NGA Pathfinder . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . 2017 . July 9, 2021.
  39. . Pathfinder Vol. 14 No. 4. NGA Pathfinder . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . 2016 . July 9, 2021.
  40. . Pathfinder Vol. 14 No. 3. NGA Pathfinder . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . 2016 . July 9, 2021.
  41. Web site: Format Changes for the Defense Acquisition Executive Summary (DAES) Reviews . . . March 2, 2007 . acq.osd.mil . July 11, 2021.
  42. Web site: GEOINT Standards & Architecture Expert - TS/SCI . appone.com . Appone . July 11, 2021.
  43. Web site: Custom Media Team . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  44. Web site: GPS and Earth Orientation Products . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  45. Web site: Historical Maps and Charts . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  46. Web site: NOME . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  47. News: Wilson . Samuel . July 24, 2017 . NGA Office of Ventures and Innovation explained . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2021.
  48. . Pathfinder Vol. 14 No. 2. NGA Pathfinder . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . 2016 . July 11, 2021.
  49. News: Uhler . Carling . February 9, 2016 . Amidst a blizzard, NGA workforce maintains facilities, mission support . NG Office of Corporate Communications . July 11, 2021.
  50. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Records Storage Study, Final Results, 2006 . Government Attic . July 11, 2021.
  51. Web site: Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council (FIORC). dni.gov. Director of National Intelligence.
  52. News: Ambinder. Marc. The Little-Known Agency That Helped Kill Bin Laden. The Atlantic Monthly. 5 May 2011.
  53. Web site: Osama bin Laden Compound Raid. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 27 July 2017. en-us. May 23, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170523032415/https://www.nga.mil/About/History/NGAinHistory/Pages/OsamabinLaden.aspx. dead.
  54. Web site: Oakland emails give another glimpse into the Google-Military-Surveillance Complex. PandoDaily. March 7, 2014. March 28, 2014. August 19, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150819032041/https://pando.com/2014/03/07/the-google-military-surveillance-complex/. dead.
  55. https://www.nga.mil/NGASiteContent/StaticFiles/OCR/nga0513.pdf Geospatial Intelligence Aids Hurricane Recovery Efforts
  56. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/may06/05-11DODVEPR.mspx Microsoft and NGA Announce Strategic Alliance
  57. http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/nga-releases-open-source-code-github/2014-04-07 NGA releases open source code on GitHub
  58. Web site: » GEOINT 2013* – Keynote Letitia A. Long - USGIF official video portal. July 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170730155203/http://geointv.com/archive/geoint-2013-keynote-letitia-a-long/. July 30, 2017.
  59. Web site: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. GitHub.
  60. News: Sparks . Carolyn . March 4, 2021 . NGA Director Sharp inducts newest Space Force officers . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . May 22, 2021.
  61. News: Birnbaum . Michael . January 2, 2023 . Why the U.S. is enlisting a spy agency during hurricanes . . washingtonpost.com . January 2, 2023.
  62. News: . NGA contributes to State Department-supported effort to document potential war crimes, other atrocities in Ukraine . National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . July 11, 2022 . January 12, 2023 . none.
  63. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/12/09/map.makers/ "Secretive map agency opens its doors"
  64. https://www.cia.gov/news-information/speeches-testimony/1999/dci_speech_072299.html DCI Statement on the Belgrade Chinese Embassy Bombing to a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Open Hearing, 22 July 1999
  65. Web site: USS Guardian Grounding Investigation Results Released. U.S. Navy. 20 June 2013. June 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130622131413/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=74930. dead.
  66. Web site: How Cartographers for the U.S. Military Inadvertently Created a House of Horrors in South Africa. Hill. Kashmir. 9 January 2019. Gizmodo. 10 January 2019.
  67. News: Stirone . Shannon . New Antarctica Map Is Like 'Putting on Glasses for the First Time and Seeing 20/20' – A high resolution terrain map of Earth's frozen continent will help researchers better track changes on the ice as the planet warms. . 7 September 2018 . . 9 September 2018 .