Successful national security strategies rely upon successful national intelligence strategies. By using available intelligence resources to observe and orient, nations can foster success in both decision and action. This work seeks to assess the extent to which the nation's overhead imagery strategy facilitates strategic success for both decision makers and execution agents. Relying on concepts from optimal control theory, a framework built upon objectives, components, and constraints is derived. Building upon this framework the study then establishes the differing and, at times, competitive nature of tactical and strategic objectives; outlines the organizational and technical traits of the current overhead intelligence system; and assesses system optimality via cross-correlation of outlined objectives and traits. Sub-optimalities revealed through the assessment are then considered in context of frequently proposed solutions--organizational integration and system segregation.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
