A surge in airborne ISR requirements was evident during the military operations that followed 11 September 2001, as the US and its allies sought to give themselves a strategic advantage over an irregular, ground-based enemy. During the campaign in Afghanistan, NATO forces enjoyed air dominance, with the concomitant ability to track insurgents using a variety of assets that both watched and neutralised the opposition. As well as procuring ISR platforms under urgent requirements programmes, forces also maintained and reused older assets, transforming them into the packages required to carry out Afghan missions. However, now that the conflict is winding down, forces are in a conundrum as they look to balance out their inventories to a more economic level, while maintaining a state of readiness and preparing for the next war.
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