Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center, left; Mary Smith, with the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Defense Weather Systems Directorate; Edward Tagliaferri, with SMC’s Infrared Space Systems Directorate; and Col. Michael Guetlein, the first director of the Remote Sensing Systems Directorate. Photo: U.S. Air Force

[Via Satellite 04-22-2015] The United States Air Force has combined the Infrared Space Systems and the Defense Weather Systems directorates into a single unit. The new Remote Sensing System Directorate is responsible for both the Air Force’s Overhead Persistent Infrared mission area, which gives missile warning, missile defense, battle-space awareness, technical intelligence, and civil support as well as the environmental monitoring mission, including space and terrestrial weather monitoring.

“By merging two world-class acquisition teams, we intend to deliver ground-breaking new products and leverage existing and planned national security space platforms to create more affordable and resilient capabilities. We believe there are meaningful operational efficiencies, and cross-platform synergies that will yield operational benefits to our warfighters,” said Colonel Mike Guetlein, director of the new organization.