A National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) to consolidate existing spy-satellite photo- management organisations is to be established by the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The NIMA, run by the Pentagon, would "...improve the overall effectiveness of imagery intelligence and mapping support to national and military customers", says the DoD.
Merged into the NIMA will be the Defense Mapping Agency, the Pentagon's Central Imagery Agency, the CIA's National Photographic Intelligence Center, and a Defense Intelligence Agency organisation. Units of the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office and National Reconnaissance Office involved with imagery exploitation and dissemination are also merged into the NIMA, which should be operational by 1 October, 1996.
Source: Flight International