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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

MEMORANDUM

2 March 1976

NOTE FOR MR. ELLSWORTH

SUBJECT: NRP Charter

Attached for your signature is a

memo transmitting a revised National

Reconnaissance Program Charter to the

other members of the Committee on

Foreign Intelligence. It incorporates

the comments you and Mr. Latimer

discussed.
TOP. SECRET

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THE DEPUTY SECRETARY Of DEFENSE

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT

FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS

SUBJECT: Charter for the National Reconnaissance Program

Attached is a proposed updated charter for the National

Reconnaissance Program, amended to be consistent with the

requirements of Executive Order 11905, 18 February 1976.

This document retains the features of streamlined management

which I,feel are essential to the successful conduct of the

National Reconnaissance Program.

1 Attachment

Proposed Charter

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CHARTER

NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION 

There is hereby created a National Reconnaissance Program

(NRP) for the collection of foreign intelligence by satellites

or other overhead means. The Program will be managed by the

National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), a special office within

the Department of Defense for the collection of specialized

intelligence through reconnaissance programs. This charter

sets forth the responsibilities of the NRO, which will be conducted in accordance with the legal requirements of Executive

Order 11905, "United States Foreign Intelligence Activities,"

18 February 1976, and its implementing directives. As a

function of national importance, the NRP is assigned the highest

priority for DoD and industrial support.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Committee on Foreign Intelligence (CFI) shall exercise

such authority over the NRP as is specified by Executive Order

11905.

The Secretary of Defense shall appoint a senior Department

of Defense statutory official to bd the Director of the NRO

(DNRO), with the concurrence of the'Director of Central

Intelligence (DCI). The Secretary of Defense shall provide the

necessary support to execute the Program.

The DNBO shall establish a staff to support himself and the

CFI.

The DNRO shall direct and manage the NRP. Planning and

programming for satellite systems approved by the CFI are the

sole responsibility of the DNRO. He is responsible for research,

development, , procurement, operation, and control of satellite or

other overhead collectors of foreign intelligence, and has the

authority to assign responsibilities to the various departments

and agencies of the Government, according to their capabilities.

The NRO will not produce finished intelligence.

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The responsibility of the DNRO is to satisfy, through

conduct of the NRP, foreign intelligence collection requirements established by the CFI. The DNRO shall submit each

request to conduct a foreign intelligence collection mission

to the Intelligence Operations Board for approval.

The DNRO shall provide staff support to the CFI for all

matters pertaining to the NRP. The Intelligence Community

Staff (ICS) will be furnished system level performance and

cost data required to perform value assessments as directed

by the CFI.

No other department or agency shall engage in reconnaissance intelligence collection using satellites or conduct

studies or advanced technologies related thereto.

The DNRO shall establish direct lines of control and

communications to all elements of the NRO and supporting organizations for development, operations and logistics activities.

The NRO shall not be subject to DoD or CIA instructions or

directives except as their application may be beneficial to the

management of the NRP, as determined by the DNRO. The DoD

Inspector General and General Counsel will be responsible for

oversight of the NRO, in compliance with Section 6 of the

EXecutive Order. Contract audit functions will be performed by

the Defense Contract Audit Agency, in accordance with covert

security procedures.

The DNRO shall prepare the budget for the NRP and submit

it to the CFI for approval and inclusion in the overall intelligence budget. The DNRO shall defend the NRP through

briefings to the Congress or elsewhere in support of the CFI.

The DNRO shall have reprogramming 'authority within the

approved NRP, subject to rules governing the reprogramming of

funds adopted by the CFI. •

The DNRO is designated as the Head of a Procuring Agency,

and may redelegate to the extent of his legal authority. He

shall also have the authority to approve the lease or procurement of automated data processing equipment integral to NRP

systems. ..

The DNRO shall establish the manning requirements for the

NRO and request manpower support from the appropriate agencies

and departments.

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The NRP shall be considered a covert activity of the U.S.

Government and will not, as a matter of policy, be publicly

acknowledged without the approval of the DCI. The DNRO is

responsible for recommending to the DCI the security measures

necessary for the protection of the NRP and for implementation

of security procedures.

Director of Central Deputy Secretary of Deputy Assistant

Intelligence Defense for National

Security Affairs

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