Long to be first woman to head a key US spy outfit

Washington: The United States has had three female secretaries of state — but until now has never had a woman lead one of its 16 major intelligence agencies.

Letitia A. Long was scheduled to be elevated yesterday to director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in a ceremony at the agency's half-built, high-tech campus in Springfield, Virginia.

Long's 32-year career has led to a series of senior management positions: deputy director of Naval Intelligence, deputy undersecretary of defence for intelligence and, most recently, second in command at the Defence Intelligence Agency. Long represents the vanguard of women in the intelligence community.

Women represent 38 per cent of the total US intelligence work force, according to Wendy Morigi, spokeswoman for the Director of National Intelligence. In six most prominent agencies, 27 per cent of senior intelligence positions are held by women.

Long has taken over one of the "top computer geek shops" in the national security world. The NGA synthesises satellite imagery, using everything from the number of electric lines a city has to the density of the soil, to create three-dimensional, interactive maps of every spot on the planet. They're used by everyone from invading troops gauging whether a country's roads or deserts can handle tank tracks, to oil spill cleanup crews trying to decide where to deploy resources.

Long has the science-and-technology credentials to do it, with a degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and a masters in mechanical engineering from the Catholic University of America.

Representative Anna Eshoo said Long's "experience and position make her an important role model for all the women in the intelligence community".