Reconnaissance Innovator
Q& A
Providing Focused Capabilities for Critical ISR Needs Betty J. Sapp Director National Reconnaissance Office Betty Sapp was appointed the 18th director of the National Reconnaissance Office [DNRO] on July 6, 2012. The DNRO provides direction, guidance and supervision over all matters pertaining to NRO and executes other authorities specifically delegated by the secretary of defense and the director of national intelligence. Sapp began her government career as an Air Force officer in a variety of acquisition and financial management positions, including: business management positions in the NRO; program element monitor at the Pentagon for the MILSTAR system; program manager for the FLTSATCOM program at the Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles; and manager of a joint-service development effort for the A-10 engine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. In 1997, Sapp joined the Central Intelligence Agency. She was assigned to the NRO, where she served in a variety of senior management positions. In 2005, she was appointed the deputy director, NRO for business plans and operations. As such, she was responsible for all NRO business functions, including current-year financial operations, preparation of auditable financial statements, business systems development, budget planning, cost estimating and contracting, as well as all executive and legislative liaison activities. In May 2007, Sapp was appointed the deputy under secretary of defense [portfolio, programs and resources], Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. In this position, she was responsible for executive oversight of the multibillion-dollar portfolio of defense intelligence-related acquisition programs; the planning, programming, budgeting and execution of the multibillion dollar Military Intelligence Program; and the technology efforts critical to satisfying both current and future warfighter needs. In April 2009, Sapp was appointed the principal deputy director of NRO, where she provided overall day-to-day management of NRO, with decision responsibility as delegated by the DNRO. Sapp holds a Bachelor of Arts, and an MBA, Management, both from the University of Missouri, Columbia. She is also Level III certified in Government Acquisition and was certified as a Defense Financial Manager. Q: After completing a successful launch program in 2012, what are NRO’s launch plans for 2013 and beyond? A: After supporting six launches in 2011, and four in 2012, we’ve established a great track record for a successful 2013 campaign. We have two launches planned this year from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.—a Delta IV Heavy in August and an Atlas V in December. Over the next few years we plan an average of two to three launches annually. 16 | GIF 11.3
Q: What are the key elements for your strategy for supporting and strengthening the space launch industry? A: There are two key elements involved in our strategy to support and strengthen the space launch industry: being a reliable customer for our industry partners, and collaborating with our interagency partners on broader space launch industrial base issues. We rely on the domestic launch industry to provide access to space for National Security Space [NSS] missions. NRO strives to be a reliable customer by delivering our spacecraft on the schedule we establish upfront, and by stabilizing our launch support requirements. Both of these actions provide predictability and stability the launch industry can plan against. NRO also works with our partners in the Department of Defense and NASA to invest in and sustain the current domestic launch industry, as well as to provide opportunities for new launch providers. Specifically, we leverage the investments of our interagency partners, as well as support the coordinated strategy for new entrant launch vehicle certification signed by NASA, NRO and the Air Force in October 2011. We also participate with those same partners in the Space Industrial Base Council. Q: What is the relationship of NRO to the Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle [EELV] program? www.GIF-kmi.com