For this assignment, you will use a China$-$Taiwan scenario where force protection is the priority collection requirement. You are a Joint Staff, J$2$ Intelligence Collection Manager in the Pentagon. The Directorate for Intelligence, J$-2,$ supports the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff and Unified Commands. It is the national level focal point for crisis intelligence support to military operations, indications and warning intelligence in DoD, and Unified Command intelligence requirements.

The undersecretary of defense for Policy briefed reporters that U$.$S$.$ warships will continue operating in the Taiwan Strait transits and perform freedom of navigation operations $($FONOPS$)$in the Indo$-$Pacific theater despite the recent Chinese live fire drills. Carrier Strike Group $5$ to include the USS Ronald Reagan $($CVN$-76)$ aircraft carrier, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli $($LHA$-7)$ and Destroyer Squadron $15$ based in Yokosuka, Japan, will be patrolling in the Taiwan Straits. It is important for Beijing to understand that the United States will continue to sail in international waters where it is allowed.

The priority intelligence requirements for this scenario is upholding freedom of navigation operations as a principle supports unimpeded lawful commerce and the global mobility of U$.$S$.$ forces. The FONOPS Program consists of complementary diplomatic and operational efforts to safeguard lawful commerce and the global mobility of U$.$S$.$ forces. The intent is to preserve the rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations by international law.

You are tasked to assess how the specific airborne and unmanned intelligence collection capabilities can address requirements to support operations, decision$-$makers, warfighters and analysts. Recommend and integrate both manned and unmanned airborne assets into the collection strategy in support of this FONOPS mission. You are tasked to provide a short issue paper.

Address the following tasks in this assignment:

Provide an analysis of the manned and unmanned airborne assets and sensor packages available to you and how you would use them to answer the intelligence requirements.

What are the specific threats, and which airborne and unmanned ISR collection assets will be used? For example, collection and warning of China surface$-$to$-$air missiles, or naval fighter aircraft.

How would you sequence collection for best results? For example, manned airborne SIGINT or unmanned GEOINT collection.

What management issues do you need to be prepared to address? For example, basing, optimum sensor packages such as infrared or radar, tasking intelligence of foreign partners such as Japan and Australia?