The Air Force won't deploy Gorgon Stare intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance pods to Afghanistan until the bugs have been shaken out of the system, despite a desire to field the units as quickly as possible. The Air Force intended to introduce the new, podded system for the MQ-9 Reaper in Afghanistan late last year. However, extensive operational testing at Eglin AFB, Fla., found the system to be "not operationally effective and operationally suitable," according to a Jan. 25 press release. Now, Gorgon Stare will not be fielded "until the theater commander accepts it," said USAF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Johnson.
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