About NGA

Know the World, Show the Way…from Seabed to Space

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) delivers world-class geospatial intelligence that provides a decisive advantage to policymakers, military service members, intelligence professionals and first responders.

Anyone who sails a U.S. ship, flies a U.S. aircraft, makes national policy decisions, fights wars, locates targets, responds to natural disasters, or even navigates with a cellphone relies on NGA.

NGA enables all of these critical actions and shapes decisions that impact our world through the indispensable discipline of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT).

NGA is a unique combination of intelligence agency and combat support agency. It is the world leader in timely, relevant, accurate and actionable GEOINT. NGA enables the U.S. intelligence community and the Department of Defense (DOD) to fulfill the president’s national security priorities to protect the nation. NGA also anticipates its partners’ future needs and advances the GEOINT discipline to meet them.

NGA is the lead federal agency for GEOINT and manages a global consortium of more than 400 commercial and government relationships. The director of NGA serves as the functional manager for GEOINT, the head of the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) and the coordinator of the global Allied System for Geospatial Intelligence (ASG). In this capacity, the director is charged with synchronizing operations to realize a professional, interoperable, agile and integrated GEOINT enterprise. NGA receives guidance and oversight from DOD, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and Congress.

NGA is headquartered in Springfield, Virginia and has two major locations in St. Louis and Arnold, Missouri. Approximately 14,500 civilian, military and contractor employees work across more than 100 locations in the U.S. and 20 international locations. Hundreds of NGA employees also serve on support teams at U.S. military, diplomatic and allied locations around the world.

NGA at a Glance

NGA delivers the strategic intelligence that allows the president and national policymakers to make crucial decisions on counterterrorism, weapons of mass destruction, global political crises and more.
NGA enables the warfighter to plan missions, gain battlefield superiority, precisely target the adversary and protect our military forces.
NGA provides timely warnings to the warfighter and national decision makers by monitoring, analyzing and reporting imminent threats.
NGA protects the homeland by supporting counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and border and transportation security. NGA supports security planning for special events, such as presidential inaugurations, state visits by foreign leaders, international conferences and major public events (Olympics, Super Bowls, satellite launchings, etc.).
NGA ensures safety of navigation in the air and on the seas by maintaining the most current information and highest quality services for U.S. military forces and global transport networks.
NGA defends the nation against cyber threats by supporting other intelligence agencies with in-depth analysis of cyber networks.
NGA creates and maintains the geospatial foundation data, knowledge and analysis that enable all other missions.
NGA assists humanitarian and disaster relief efforts by working directly with the lead federal agencies responding to fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes or other natural or manmade disasters.

Learn More About NGA

Mission

History

Strategy

Leadership

Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, Director

Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth is the eighth Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. He leads and directs NGA under the authorities of the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence. He became NGA’s director on June 3, 2022.

Full Biography
Tonya P. Wilkerson Deputy Director

Tonya P. Wilkerson serves as the ninth Deputy Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. She was sworn in Dec. 2, 2021. Ms. Wilkerson brings a wealth of knowledge and over three decades of experience across the Intelligence Community, including leadership skills, experience across multiple mission areas, and deep expertise in the space sector.

Full Biography
Brett Markham, Chief of Staff

Mr. Brett Markham serves as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Chief of Staff. In this role, he is a member of NGA’s executive leadership team and its third ranking officer responsible for daily agency operations. Mr. Markham oversees the Agency's executive support staff, administrative services, logistics, personnel security, human resources, employee training and development, corporate communications, and congressional engagement. He became NGA’s Chief of Staff on Apr. 27, 2020.

Full Biography