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Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444 J -.. -. J' 

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~~ZC~h~ STUDY GnOUp O~ THE U.S. SIG~ALS IN~ELLIGENC~ 

~ha P~esident has directed that there be a special ~0-

vi~w 0i tho SIGIXT activiti~s o~ the Government to be conduc~c~ 

by ~ .. ~ Di~ect6~ of Central Intelligence. A Special Study Group 

o~ ~~o U.S. SIGIXT effort is hereby established to assist .in t~~ 

i o:..· ... ~::.a t ion 0'1 rocornl •• enda t ior,s to the P;tes iden t for improvinb the 

eff~c~ivcness and efficiency of these activities. 

~. ~he Special Study Grou) is to conduct an obj8ctive ~p~ 

pr~_~.: c~ all significan~ management, policy and operational 

a~;~ws of ~he SIGI~T activities of the U.S. Government. The pur-

)~ ~ v~ ~~a appraisal is io make these SIGINT activities as 

:0_j~~3ive as possible to national needs at ~{nimum necessary cost. 

v.. : ~1 

~~0ci~1 

carrying out its appraisal of U.S. SIGINT activities, 

Study Group shall consider: 

(a) Intelligence needs for signals intelligence; 

(b) Management structures, procedures and responsi-

',,)i1i-cie8; 

(c) Policy control and direction of the Se~vice 

Cryptologic Agencies; --_.,. --.-----

(d) 7he resources devoted to military tactical and 

contingency needs, as well as resources devoted to other 

national nedds; ,., .'~ 

(e) Requirement for overseas SIGINT collection from 

existing foreign bases aild alter~atives thereto, including 

satellites and other overseas bases; 

SC #01918-67 . ; 

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CHA~""NELS OXL Y 

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(g) The ,impact of communications satell~~0a on ~~~ 

~ational cryptolo~ic ci~o~t; 

~h) The concept of a computerized national data bas3 

~f S:GINT information; 

(i) The scope and. effectiveness of the U.S. SL:NT 0ffo~~, with particula~ attention to processing techniques; 

(j) The role of Third Party SIGINT collection; 

(k) ':'11e role of the c:typtologic corr..muni ty in the 

)~od~c~ion of information in support bP intellig6nce 

)roc .. u(~ -~ ion; 

(:) The value of this effort to the Government in terms 

of whe~her its cost is reasonably justified by. the. return 

in tel'~I1S of info:cmation which is responsive to the 

Gove~nment's strategic needs; 

(m) Such other matters which the Special Study Group 

~eelliS essential to its work. 

:. In view of the complexity of many of the issues which 

t~0 -:0U~ will consider, i~s mission will have been accomplished 

l.~'j. '.'. ,-\:.,. :,:. ::"'ns tances wi th recom ••. enda t ions for further aC-~ ior~ a~,u 

S~~~-.0S to be conduc~ed within the United States Governmen~. 

~. Th~ composition of the Special Study Group is at Tab A. 

Tho ,::'",ii Director wi.l1 be designated by the DCr. 

Sec 

7he Special Study Group will sub~it its report and recom-

~on~ to the DCI for forwarding to the Pra~ident v~a the 

. ~:.:y of Dei ansa. 

-2-

Richard Helms 

::P.NDLE VIA CO~I'UNT 

CHAl\~:ELS ONLY 

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Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444 ;, 

Special Study Group on the U. S. Signals 

Intelligence (SIGINT) Effort (Eaton Committee) 

May 1968 

Pursuant to Presidential direction, the DCI established in 

May 1968 a special study group to review the SIGINT activities of 

the U. S. Government to assist in the formulation of recommendations to the President for improving the effectiveness and efficiency 

of SIGINT activities. 

The Special Study Group was to conduct "an objective appraisal 

of all significant management, policy and operational aspects of the 

SIGINT activities of the U. S. Government" and was to consider the 

following; 

1. Intelligence needs for signals intelligence; 

2. Management structures, procedures and responsibilities; 

3. Policy control and direction of the Service Cryptologic 

Agencies; 

4. The resources devoted to military tactical and contingency 

needs, as well as resources devoted to other national needs; 

5. Requirement for overseas SIGINT collection from existing 

foreign bases and alternatives thereto, including satellites and other 

overseas bases; 

6. The scope and emphasis of the effort to develop space-borne 

SIGINT collection systems; 

7. The impact of communications satellites on the national 

cryptologic effort; 

8. The scope and effectiveness of the U. S. ELINT effort, with 

particular attention to processing techniques; 

9. The concept of a computerized national data base of SIGINT 

information; 

Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444 
Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444 

10. The role of Third Party SIGINT collection; 

11. The role of the cryptologic community in the production 

of information in support of intelligence production; 

12. The value of this effort to the Government in terms of 

whether its cost is reasonably justified by the return in terms of 

information which is responsive to the Government's strategic 

needs; 

13. Such other matters which the Special Study Group deems 

essential to its work. 

: :'; ~ .. (l { i\{ C 

1 i G ~ L~) j ! i1 t 

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Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444 

Membership 

Chairman: Mr. Fredrick M. Eaton 

Shearman & Sterling 

General Lauris Norstad 

Owens-Corning Fiberglas International 

Ambassador Livingston T. Merchant 

U. S. Executive Director, World Bank 

Dr. Eugene Fubini 

IBM 

Consultants 

Dr. Thomas W. Wolfe 

Rand Corporation 

Mr. Malcomb Toon 

State Department 

Approved for Release: 2019/05/02 C051 08444