September 25, 2025
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Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), says now is the “golden age” of geospatial intelligence, or GEOINT. Speaking with Francis Rose on Fed Gov Today, Admiral Whitworth shares why this moment is so significant for the agency, what opportunities lie ahead, and what challenges come with them.
Whitworth begins by grounding listeners in NGA’s mission: targeting, warning, and ensuring safety of navigation. Warning, he explains, is the “behemoth” of the mission, requiring NGA to establish baselines of equipment and behavior across the globe, then alert decision-makers when something is off. Targeting is about identifying vulnerabilities and centers of gravity that could affect national security. Safety of navigation, while often underappreciated, is critical — NGA ensures the accuracy of maps and charts so that U.S. and allied forces can operate safely around the world.
Calling this moment a golden age for GEOINT, Whitworth highlights three converging factors. First is the rapid expansion of sensors, especially space-based systems, that are delivering unprecedented volumes of data. Second is the rise of advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, which allow NGA to sift through, process, and disseminate that data more efficiently. Third is the emergence of a dynamic commercial sector offering new capabilities, including commercial imaging.
But more data also brings major challenges. Whitworth says NGA is focused on ensuring no valuable intelligence ends up “on the cutting room floor.” During past conflicts like Operation Enduring Freedom, the intelligence community learned how overwhelming
Whitworth stresses the importance of partnerships, particularly with the commercial sector and other intelligence community agencies. NGA works with cloud providers like AWS to ensure storage and compute capabilities can scale with demand. He notes that NGA has more than half of the intelligence community’s cloud footprint and is proud of its industry-standard compression work that keeps massive imagery files manageable.
Finally, Whitworth emphasizes the human side of the mission. The agency needs a pipeline of STEM-qualified professionals ready to work on cutting-edge problems. He calls NGA’s workforce “very patriotic people” and says it is critical to keep them equipped with the tools, training, and opportunities they need to succeed.
In Part 2, coming next week, VADM Whitworth will share how NGA is upskilling its workforce to meet these challenges and preparing for the future of geospatial intelligence.