Hanscom acquisition experts have new GEOINT advocates

  • Published
  • By Benjamin Newell
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – One team at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center here works to enable more than 90 acquisition programs know the earth, show the way and understand the world.

Hanscom is the top acquisition customer of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in the Department of Defense. Many programs here either contribute to geospatial intelligence collection, or are dependent on it. These programs rely on Rebecca Hoy and her team.

Co-located with the Acquisition Intelligence Division, Hoy’s team offers insight and access to the intelligence community's GEOINT products and services, including imagery, navigation data, maps and charts in support of acquisition programs. Hoy works with Jay Vaughn and Master Sgt. Justin Calvaruzo on the GEOINT Acquisition Intelligence Team as part of AFLCMC-Hanscom’s Intelligence Division. 

According to their website, anyone who sails a U.S. ship, flies a U.S. aircraft, makes national policy decisions, fights wars, locates targets, responds to natural disasters or even navigates with a cellphone relies on geospatial intelligence compiled and maintained by the NGA.

“What we’re trying to accomplish has a lot to do with planning a program,” said Hoy. “Even before milestone A, we’re working to ensure the standards required for reliable, useable GEOINT are circulated throughout the program offices. GEOINT is widely used, or in some cases produced, by the final weapons system. After all, many of the sensors managed by AFLCMC provide their data back to NGA.”

Hanscom's Intelligence Division formed a GEOINT Acquisition Intel Team to provide a bridge between the acquisition and intelligence communities. In early program acquisition, the GEOINT team assists in identifying geospatial intelligence needs such as imagery, charts and navigational aids. 

Once GEOINT requirements are identified, the team provides intelligence dependency analysis, assisting programs in planning for required acquisition intelligence support for their geospatial products. GEOINT needs for weapons systems are planned for throughout the acquisition process, to the time the Air Force takes possession of them until they are retired. The team can also provide products and services to assist programs with development, integration and testing. Many of these products are available in the Hanscom Collaboration and Innovation Center. 

“NGA is an essential partner in the support of Hanscom’s program executive officers,” said A.J. Bonoldi, Hanscom-AFLCMC’s Deputy Director of Intelligence, who oversees the special security and GEOINT sections. “Having Rebecca here helps ensure timely and within-budget mission critical intelligence to each program."

This team conducts regular local Technical Exchange Meetings where NGA and other government experts lead forums on GEOINT topics relevant to Hanscom programs. The next GEOINT TEM, on Visualization, is Wednesday, May 10. Register here. Further information on agenda will be provided prior to the TEM. Contact the GEOINT team or Hanscom’s NGA representative at 781-225-5971.