Gates puts pressure on call for more UAVs

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Gates puts pressure on call for more UAVs
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 22, 2008 6:01:00 EDT

Defense Secretary Robert Gates continued to criticize military leaders for the slow buildup of unmanned aerial vehicles patrolling the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan at a speech he made Monday morning to officers at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

“I’ve been wrestling for months to get more intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets into the theatre. Because people were stuck in old ways of doing business, it’s been like pulling teeth,” Gates said.

To get more UAVs like the Air Force’s Predators in theatre quicker, Gates established a new service-wide UAV task force last week. Headed by Brad Burkson, acting principal assistant deputy undersecretary of Defense for logistics and materiel readiness, the group was tasked to cut through the bureaucratic tie-ups and fast track the procurement of more aircraft and the necessary personnel to operate the UAVs.

“My concern is that our services are still not moving aggressively in wartime to provide resources needed now on the battlefield,” Gates said.

He likened the urgency of the task force’s work to that of a similar organization he created last year to push for faster production and deployment of mine-resistant ambush-protected armored vehicles that have been credited with saving lives of troops facing attacks by roadside bombs in Iraq. The UAV task force will be made up of Joint Staff, military services comptroller and the undersecretary of defense for intelligence.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/airforce_uav_callout_042108/