Future Imagery Architecture

Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) was a program to design a new generation of US reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). In 2005 NRO director Donald Kerr recommended the project's termination, and it was finally cancelled in September 2005 by Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte. FIA has been called by "The New York Times" "perhaps the most spectacular and expensive failure in the 50-year history of American spy satellite projects."cite web|author=Philip Taubman |title=In Death of Spy Satellite Program, Lofty Plans and Unrealistic Bids |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/washington/11satellite.html?pagewanted=1| publisher=The New York Times]

The development contract for FIA was awarded to a Boeing team in late 1999, [ [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1999/news_release_990903.html Boeing's press release on winning the contract] ] and was estimated to possibly reach a value of US$25 billion over the ensuing twenty years. [Pae, Peter. " [http://cartome.org/nro-fia.htm Massive Spy-Satellite Program to Cost Billions] ", "LA Times", March 18, 2001. Retrieved October 10, 2006.] The exact scope and mission of the program are classified, although the head of the NRO said in 2001 that the project would focus on creating smaller and lighter satellites.Sullivan, Laura. " [http://www.infosecnews.org/hypermail/0109/4612.html A peek into secrets most jealously guarded] ", "Baltimore Sun", September 8, 2001. Retrieved October 10, 2006.] Some industry experts believe that a key objective is to make the satellites more difficult to be attacked, possibly by placing them in orbits farther above the Earth. Because of the large size and budget of the program, as well as number of workers involved, some experts have compared it to the 1940s Manhattan Project. In September 2005 the contract was shifted to Lockheed Martin after cost overruns and delays of the delivery date. [cite web|author=Charles P. Vick|title=Future Imagery Architecture |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/fia.htm| publisher=globalsecurity.org] Lockheed was asked to restart production of an older satellite system with new upgrades, and first deliveries are expected to be in 2009.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/fia.htm FIA on Globalsecurity.org]
* [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/030811/11nro.htm America's secret spy satellites are costing you billions, but they can't even get off the launch pad; U.S News and World Report, 8/11/03, by Douglas Pasternak]