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Feinstein Slams New Spy Sats

By Colin Clark Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 12:20 pm
Posted in Intelligence, Policy, Space

UPDATED: Congressional Aide Says Huge Fight On Between Senate Intel Committee and IC, DoD Over EO System. It May Get Killed. IC Source Rebuts Feinstein.

The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence expressed “extraordinarily serious concern” that the intelligence community and Pentagon may repeat the disaster of the Future Imagery Architecture system and made clear to Gates that there is bipartisan support on her committee for questioning the electro-optical system President Barack Obama recently approved.

“We have extraordinarily serious concerns involving the waste of many, many dollars over a period of years and are rather determined it not happen again,” said Sen. Diane Feinstein, who is also a member of the Senate Appropriation defense subcommittee. Feinstein said she and Sen. Kit Bond, a Republican who shares the same committee assignments, shares her concerns about the EO system.

“We also have information that the lesser tier can also be as capable and have a stealth capability,” Feinstein said.

An intelligence community source familiar with the technical issues at issue rejected Feinstein’s claims. “I think there are no real shortcuts to high performance although such claims are made. I really think you should point out that the ‘exquisite’ proposal is just the fifth updating of a system flown for 33 years,” the source said.

A congressional aide contacted after the hearing said there is a “huge philosophical difference raging” between members of the Sneate intel committee and the intelligence community. This aide said the Senate body is convinced that the lesser system could handle much of what needs doing and is concerned that “that the last few percent [in improvements] drive the large costs.”

Enormous quantities of cash are at stake in this debate since the best estimates I’ve heard for the exquisite system indicate it will suck up at least $10 billion over the next three to five years.

Feinstein said technical advisors to her committee had said the lower resolution system could do the job just as well as the exquisite system.

Gates said he had approved the exquisite system because it is “needed by the intelligence community.” But he also conceded that he approved the lower tier system “because there is some schedule and technical risk associated with the upper tier.”

Feinstein made clear she did not want to see a repeat of the FIA fiasco: “To make a mistake once or twice is alright, but to continue to make that mistake does not make sense.“

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	DensityDuck June 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pm Nobody seems to want to admit that SPACE IS REALLY FREAKIN’ EXPENSIVE. Spend a lot and get what you need, or spend a little bit and get nothing. This lesson is learned time and time again.
	Alex June 9th, 2009 at 1:02 pm God I despise that woman for so many reasons. If people like her got her way, we wouldn’t have stealth technology, BMD, the SR-71 would have never existed, and our air force would be flying a bunch of “low risk” crop dusters. Technological innovation would cease to exist in our defense industry.
	DensityDuck June 10th, 2009 at 12:47 am From what I hear, the technical advisors Feinstein is citing are the ones who gave FIA to Boeing!
	FB June 10th, 2009 at 2:07 am She is mad because her husband will not receive any contract considerations on this baby!
	Launch Director June 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pm There is a system that works. It has worked well for decades. Slowly upgraded, refined, enhanced. Yup, it must be expensive, but do any of these folks REALLY understand the technical complexities of the mission? Don’t answer that, Feinstein’s moronic staff might be watching…
	Alex June 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm Launch Director, none of these liberal bureaucrats understand ANYTHING. They don’t care about technological advances that cost money — they would be perfectly content if we launched a few rocks into outerspace and called them satellites, then they would take credit for getting the job done cheaply. They only care about making themselves look useful so they can get reelected — doing what is necessary to protect our country and drive our economy is way down towards the bottom of their list. Fortunately in some cases these things aren’t mutually exclusive, or we’d be back in the third world throwing stones at our enemies and driving buggies through the streets.
	Diffraction Limited June 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm Playing out the KH-11 lineage another few decades makes a lot of sense if your concern is high resolution. And there are many tasks for which 5–10 centimeter resolution is important. But that comes at the expense of area coverage, the size/cost of the satellite, and the ability to replace unexpected satellite losses. Keeping a few evolved KH-11s in orbit to perform the specialized tasks for which they’re best suited but complementing them with smaller satellites with, say 50-cm resolution and the ability to be replaced quickly would, I think, be the way to go. Which is probably what is going to happen with the NRO + commercial mix that seems to be emerging.
	Launch Director June 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm Alex, I know, I know.…. so sad — term limits PLEASE!!! Diff, yup, the only plan that makes sense.…
	Another Point of View June 10th, 2009 at 2:42 pm 10 cm resolution? That is TMI for me. But if there is a real need to find individual bullets and tiny dangers, perhaps we could raise taxes. Otherwise we won’t have any money to operate the equipment.
	Alex June 10th, 2009 at 2:50 pm We don’t need to raise taxes to pay for defense — defense spending is a huge driver of our economy. Not only does it create high paying, private sector jobs, but the money spent creates many technological innovations that advance our society in more than just the military realm. The tax payers get an extremely good ROI on defense spending relative to the other garbage that the gov’t wastes money on. On the other hand, we DO need to raise taxes to pay for all of the public jobs that this new administration wants to create, because those give little or nothing back to the economy and certainly do not create innovation that has made the U.S. what it is today. Everyone applauds Obama for wanting to creating millions of low-skilled, government jobs that do not help our economy…the hypocrisy of defense detractors is overwhelming to say the least.
	DensityDuck June 10th, 2009 at 3:12 pm Alex: It is amusing, I have to say, to see the administration advocating that we cut advanced defense-development spending at the same time that they cry about how America is falling behind in science and engineering. Well…when the President of the United States goes on national TV and says that we shouldn’t spend money on advanced technology, how can you expect kids to go into engineering?
	Alex June 10th, 2009 at 3:19 pm DD it is becoming too painful for me to watch. It has been bad enough in congress for a while, but now our highest office has been reduced to nothing more than a global popularity contest where BO’s approval rating is a more important number than our GDP.
	Sgt Oblat June 11th, 2009 at 2:42 am Congress needs to shine some light of sanity on the festering mess of big waste republicanism. Not throwing money down another rat hole is a good way to start. The great ROI on defense spending that Alex dreams of is a ridiculous dream, it can be seen at the mall — try to find an American manufacturered product and don’t trip over the collapsed GM dealership on the way out. As China powers ahead, the US is squandering it’s shrinking resources on legacy industries of the cold war. Talk about a losing strategy.
	Gordon June 11th, 2009 at 7:02 am Ah, the military/industrial complex at its best. We need this, we need that, without it we are doomed. DoD wastes billions of dollars every year, and with those on the right, that is okay…but don’t dare mention or talk about raising taxes to cover the wasted billions. Now that would be a travesty of justice. We can just keep borrowing billions from unsavory countries like China so more and more of our taxes and GDP goes to repaying debt. Now that is wise and conservative economics at its best. Ike was right…the complex would be our economic and political undoing as its cost and spending far outpaces any other consideration within our economy. S/F Gordon
	Donk June 11th, 2009 at 7:05 am Sgt Oblat: You clearly confuse manufacturing & technology — they have been separated for decades in the US, and the technology HAS been the GPD generator. Manufacturing has died due to similar concerns that Alex poses as risks to our tech sector. Soon, all the foreign products you buy will also be based on foreign tech. There are many exanples — historic & current — to evaluate US direction — consider recent EU elections for instance.
	MIV June 11th, 2009 at 7:41 am I support her efforts.
	Jawaralal Bernstein June 11th, 2009 at 8:43 am With all the untruths told by the IC constantly to Congress, the botched systems (TRW/NG–recent False Claims Act settlement), known contract disasters, all under the cloak of classification, you betcha our elected representatives need to ask tough questions. Don’t questions their credentials. Those IC “experts” and their trust contractors are the ones who have given us disaster after disaster. Why keep paying them and for their wasteful mistakes?
	Buddy June 11th, 2009 at 9:14 am Kill the program. It was bad enough when the government broke into hotel rooms to steal secrets. Giving them the power to peek into my back yard isn’t something I feel compelled to pay for. Government hasn’t proven they can be trusted with technologies that have the potential of stealing individual liberties.
	Georgia Peach June 11th, 2009 at 10:08 am This is a system which will enable us to be more vigilant in our intelligence operations. Why do we always want to cut what keeps us safe and produces a higher level of surveilance, but we are so eager to throw good money after bad money. The IG and DCIS offices are unable to do their job and their hands are at times being politically tied in investigations of large defense contractors tied to Iraq, who commit contract fraud after contract fraud, but important tools for our intelligence operations are non-essential. I think the money this system sucks up has a larger return than the money sucked up by the banks.
	Jim S. June 11th, 2009 at 10:56 am Hmmm! Years ago when Sen. Diane Feinstein first got on the AFC she was being briefed by the JCOS… about one quarter way through the briefing she interrupted the General that was briefing on the need to upgrade one of our Vietnam era weapon systems and asked, “What is a F4?”… the room got real quite.
	lilmerc June 11th, 2009 at 11:23 am Sooooo, cut the Senators’ pay and save the New Spy Sats! What’s the problem? Do we get 3 guesses? OMG, where’s my coffee?
	C.M. Kaiser June 11th, 2009 at 11:44 am Hmmm.Looks like they’ll be spending $600.00 on toilet seats again!
	Keep It Simple June 11th, 2009 at 12:15 pm Why this elected “lady” is still in office is exactly why there needs to be term limits. She and Boxer need to go away quitely as they have done all the damage to our form of government they can do. They are both from California and that alone speaks volumns on their background and qualifications.
	SATCOM3 June 11th, 2009 at 12:23 pm Funny how 10B is a lot of money when it is related to defense but a drop in the bucket when it related to domestic spending or some congressional pet rock.
	DensityDuck June 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pm KIS: “Gerrymandering” doesn’t even begin to describe the California electoral map. LA and the SF Bay Area, between them, have more than half of the Congressional districts in the state. For all practical purposes, they run the place!
	md June 11th, 2009 at 12:38 pm You guys are all correct to some degree. The thing is, not very many people know the real reason people like that are still in place. If you look around you real good then open your eyes to whats going on in the world at stratigic locales, u can start to see the big little pictures.
	Alex June 11th, 2009 at 12:46 pm Oblat, no offense but you seem to be confused. Defense “waste” is a drop in the bucket compared to what the gov’t wastes in social programs like welfare, education (don’t get me wrong, we need to spend on education, but so far its been an epic waste of money — major reform is needed), etc etc. Even a failed defense contract the size of the ones we are talking about creates thousands of high-paying jobs, and in many cases technologies that can be reused later. People are worried about a few billion dollars on a gov’t contract involving high risk technology that might not completely pan out, but the same people are willing to jump right into universal health care that will leave our economy and health care industry all but completely neutered in a couple decades. A failed social program increases in costs exponentially and has a noticeable negative impact on our economy while the money does little to benefit our society. And the gov’t jobs do not, by and large, add any value to our society. Liberals love to use defense spending as a scapegoat for gov’t waste to hide the fact that programs like welfare, medicare/caid, social security, etc have trillions of dollars committed to them, with little to show for the investment. We certainly will never be able to afford these social programs long term without MAJOR reform, which the left won’t do because it’s spending on these programs that gets them elected, not spending on defense.
	Alex June 11th, 2009 at 12:49 pm Buddy, don’t think you are so important that the government would waste billion dollar satellites to watch you undress. Your paranoia is better suited for the 9/11 conspiracy forums.
	BigFED June 11th, 2009 at 1:59 pm Feinstein’s name is spelled the way it is because she is no Einstein and gets an “F” on all and any intelligence. How anyone with her lack of intelligence ever became a member of congress much less on the “Intelligence” committee!!
	katooutdoors June 11th, 2009 at 2:29 pm I guess we need to keep giving billions to the crooks on Wall Street and lets not forget those shady bankers, why don’t we just continue to reward failure.
	katooutdoors June 11th, 2009 at 2:31 pm Finestein needs to retire along with some of the other ancient relics.
	CRC June 11th, 2009 at 2:53 pm Having been an imagery analyst with NGA and knowing the basic design concepts of the new sat system and the history of the old ones, it is VITAL the new ones be built. There are even more advanced and expensive systems yet the proposed units are the best for the buck. Quantity being a quality of its own applies ok with tanks but not with imagery satellites.
	Hitch Hiker June 11th, 2009 at 6:20 pm One doesn’t have to know anything about imagery in this debate. You just have to live in CA and be familiar with Diane baby over the years. She’s a politician not a rocket scientist so we give her a technical committee chair. Makes sense to me.
	Average Joe June 11th, 2009 at 8:08 pm I agree with FB. She is only interested in having more money to divert to her husbands contracts, and the rest to S.F. pork projects and social programs. She and her twin Nancy P. seem to be hell bent on destroying our nation one way or another.
	Davis June 11th, 2009 at 8:26 pm Don’t forget that Senator Bond has the same position as Sen. Feinstein i don’t think he is a rocket scientist either.
	Jack Sides June 11th, 2009 at 9:30 pm I was one of the original members of what is now NRO. I am certainly glad that the very few prople we had to deal with in Congress were not feinstein type dunderheads.
	man yere June 11th, 2009 at 9:50 pm If you have any proof of steering contracts by anyone please spill the beans. I would like to hear.
	What Do I Know June 12th, 2009 at 8:02 am Um..maybe I missing something here but how could Feinstein be accused of pork and contract steering if she’s trying to kill an IMINT program that would be built in her own state? (Practically in the backyard of her hometown) Not a lefty– but I think facts shouldn’t be clouded by partisanship.
	LeLe June 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am I have a problem with people who talk on a subject that they have no knowledge of. I have worked with the products of these systems. They are and have been adequate, not the best. I can not tell you how many times I need a better view and just could not get it. Anything that we can do to give a better product and keep people safe I am for. I for one am not ready for another 9/11. Does the government care what you are doing? Yes, but not the way some of the people who posted to this think. If you have taken an action that has brought attention to yourself standup be an adult and accept what comes next. Do you really think that the government is going to single you out if you have not caused a red flag to go up and how stupid do you think the government is to waste the money watching you when we could be actually stopping shipments of explosives, drugs and possibly NBC items that are going to cause mass destruction. Most of you have made good arguments, keep up that support. We have to much at stake. I love this country and my family and have sworn to support and DEFEND, even the individuals who would spit in my face. God bless all of you.
	observant June 12th, 2009 at 1:26 pm It’s very simple: Who has cleared detailed knowledge of ongoing operational needs? That’s the person who knows the needs. Second hand, less cleared, just don’t know.
	Carl Rizor June 12th, 2009 at 10:11 pm Feinstein does not know which side of toilet paper to wipe her butt with, and she is on this committee!
	Phoenix June 14th, 2009 at 10:10 am The worst of this is not that it is elegant and the politicos want to debate it but that it will take at least five years to sort out while the huge companies do studies diluting funds resulting in reduced capabilities that should fly in less than three years. Oh how we want more bureacracy, non-competitive awards, and scrutiny from oversight committees!
	DensityDuck June 14th, 2009 at 4:52 pm observant: Exactly. WDIK: There are no satellite-building companies outside of California large enough to handle this sort of thing; you’ve got Lockheed in Sunnyvale, and Hughes() down in Redondo Beach. Feinstein can porkulate without harming her state. () Yes, I know, but come on here, it’s the old Hughes building with “BOEING” painted on the side
	What Do I Know June 15th, 2009 at 7:58 am DD– You’re right but also a little off. There were competing programs that would have subbed some of the work to companies in California. (you’re correct, you can’t build a satellite system without some money going to California) But some of those competing programs would have had the majority of dollars go to Colorado and/or Maryland. I thought this crowd was a little more sophisticated than making comments about Feinstein’s toilet-related acumen. I think some folks comments are dead on but others have devolved to ad hominem attacks. (Again, I’m in no way a Dem but if we’re going to talk about technology and national security then we should focus on the facts.) Observant made a good point. The person who knows the requirements, at least from a military standpoint, is GEN Cartwright. You should look around and see what Cartwright’s said about requirements.
	Captain3292 June 15th, 2009 at 7:05 pm This is a pure political Feinstein dance. There isn’t any thing in it for her so she is looking for another avenue that will increase her wealth. None of the elected Congressmen or Senators have an understanding of the technical aspects of any DOD or intel program. They are put on these committees as party rewards and seniority. It’s a pecking order and the hens are in control. Unfortunately the US citizens will be the one to suffer.
	Phoenix June 15th, 2009 at 9:27 pm WDIK and DD: There are other companies just as capable and far less costly than LOCKMART and Boeing. Time for NRO to open up and seek out the alternatives.
	Alex June 15th, 2009 at 9:55 pm such as who Phoenix? Did anyone ever stop and consider that these programs are constantly over budget and behind schedule not because of the contractors, but because of unreal expectations by the customers and constant bureaucratic oversight?
	Dave Long June 17th, 2009 at 11:21 am Too bad welfare programs and bank handouts do not get this scrutiny.
	Roland July 19th, 2009 at 3:28 am I think this is a good investment on the part of good intel. Exact knowledge of where the enemy was like the Al-quida are a very inportant tool agaisnt insurgency and it also help strenghthen our defenses of what other roughue nation are doing like North Koria on Nuclear weapon test and ballistic messile movement and test.
	Diana Mellen August 20th, 2009 at 1:53 am From the website Bohemian.com, Jan 24–30 2007 subject Dianne Feinstein the folllowing information. “In her annual public disclosure Feinstein records income from large investment in Perini and URS. Her husband Blum co-owns ASTA Air Cargo, which has military contracts in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 2005 gave her and Blum’s income at 40 million today at 100 million. Blum is described as a global investment financier. He has s controlling share of Perini. After 9/11 the earnings of Perini increased from 7 million in 2000 to 444 million for military construction work. May 2006 the Army Corps of Engineers for work in the Middle East a contract 1.725 billion. This is a six page report but I think you can see where this is going.