Inzpire's ISR Division is Born
07 Jul 20
Collective Training and Services OBU
07 Jul 20
Collective Training and Services OBU
Back in 2014, when I first joined Inzpire to head up the newly formed Unmanned Experts Division (UMEX), my focus was certainly directed towards the large MALE RPAS (Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) part of the market. Initially we grew slowly and started to take on some contracts away from the core unmanned aircraft system (UAS) theme and into the wider intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) domain. At that stage we changed the divisional name to Unmanned and ISR Experts Division (UMIX) in order to highlight this widening of focus. We continued to provide the zero to hero UAS training as before to customers such as the UK MoD and within the Middle East and Africa, however we were also getting involved in wider strategic manned ISR studies and future sensor capability assessments.
Since then, my team has grown to include the largest collection of QWI:ISR (Qualified Weapon Instructor – ISR) experts outside of the MoD. Our division has almost 350 years of military experience and over 35,000 operational flying hours on manned and unmanned ISR platforms. Our contracts now cover all aspects of the ISR domain from: initial training; manned and unmanned collect; tasking; concepts of operations (CONOP); processing and sensors…just about every part of the ISR bingo card you can think of.
For this reason we have decided to take the bold step of changing the divisional name once again. We discussed a range of options in order to continue pressing our UAS credentials along with our wider ISR expertise but every acronym seemed to have embarrassing undertones or was too complex. Often it is best to stick with the simplest solution, so Inzpire’s ISR Division is born.
Clearly you may think that this decision would have been easy. However, ISR is such a huge discipline that it can mean very different things to many different people. Even within Inzpire we have so many areas which touch on aspects of ISR that stating that we are now “the ISR Division” could have generated some friction. Fortunately Inzpire is a different type of defence company. We do not work in silos, we work across all of our divisions and operational business units. We continue to demonstrate our strong military ethos to ensure our customers get the best possible support that Inzpire can provide, regardless of which area of the business the contract lies within. Collaboration is as deeply-rooted within Inzpire as it is in the military.
Obviously we continue to maintain a significant unmanned skillset, including reservists on MQ-9 Squadrons and vast amounts of experience in a range of small and tactical UAS. We continue to provide technical UAS support the UK MoD and our NATO partners, however, we also acknowledge that UAS - a hugely important aspect of the ISR domain - is ultimately just one part of a much larger ISR picture. So we also provide support to our customers in the understanding and development of complex multi domain ISR concepts including such areas as intelligence led counter insurgency training, sensor capability and target to sensor matching, integration of 5th gen capabilities and swarming UAVs. Our expertise covers: operational flight crews; intelligence specialists; process, exploitation and dissemination (PED) specialists and special operations subject matter experts.
In line with the rest of the Inzpire team, the ISR Division exists to ignite a revolution of honour, integrity, trust and excellence in the defence-industrial environment. Our role is to assist Inzpire in achieving the company's vision: to become the most trusted and respected defence company on earth. We will do that by constantly evolving and exceeding our customers’ expectations.
This blog was written by Paul 'Rolfy' Rolfe, Inzpire's head of ISR division. Rolfy enjoyed a distinguished 22-year career as an ISR/EW specialist in the RAF, including two tours on Maritime Nimrods and four years in an EW role within the Air Warfare Centre. In 2004 he was posted to the Combined Joint Predator Task Force in Nevada as a Predator Sensor Operator (SO), holding the posts of Chief Sensor Operator and Standards Evaluator and Flight Examiner (SEFE) for the combined UK/USAF Squadron. He was then selected as Initial Cadre on the USAF’s first MQ-9 Reaper Squadron
28.03.24
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