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U.S. senators seek details about military intelligence capabilities

In 2025, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly and four other senators sent a letter requesting information from the Department of Defense regarding the planned retirement of airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance platforms.
The letter reflects concern that the Air Force is rapidly reducing its current ISR inventory without making sufficient investments in replacement capabilities amid broader modernization efforts.
The Air Force has retired aircraft including the MC-12 Liberty, E-8C JSTARS, and MQ-9 Block 1, halted procurement of MQ-9As, and begun shutting down the U-2 training pipeline, creating gaps in ISR coverage.
The senators expressed concern that while the Air Force is gaining more advanced weaponry, it is simultaneously reducing its airborne ISR platforms without sufficient replacements, resulting in diminished capabilities for the military and policymakers to accurately assess and identify targets. They highlighted ISR’s critical role in historical moments such as the Cuban missile crisis and the Camp David Accords.
The reduction in ISR capabilities could increase risks for Combatant Commanders and limit policymaker input, indicating potential challenges in sustaining resilient and distributed lethality in future conflicts.

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