National Intelligence Serious About IT

Shane Harris, who writes about intelligence for National Journal, suggests in his blog that the recent nomination of Donald Kerr as deputy Director of National Intelligence (DNI) signals a "big push" into technology. Kerr, who will report to Director Mike McConnell, served as director of the heavily technology-reliant National Reconnaissance Office since July 2005. Harris writes:

The DNI's office is launching a big push on the science and technology front. As part of the fiscal 2008 budget request, McConnell has asked Congress for money to set up the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, iARPA, modeled after the successful Pentagon R&D unit, DARPA. Kerr used to run the CIA's science and technology division, and so has some familiarity with that terrain. As a former senior CIA official reminded me this morning, a huge portion of the intelligence community is devoted to technical issues--everything from signals collection and processing to geospatial intelligence. Kerr is also double-hatted at NRO--he's assistant to the Secretary of the Airforce.