TOP SECRET

ME DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON ID, D.C.

October 5, 1961

MEMORANDUM FOR DR. CHARYK

SUBJECT: NRO

Will you review and give me your comments on

the attached paper which Mr. McCone left with Mr.

NoteNamara at this morning's meeting.

As you heard, the paper would introduce a new

element, namely a National Reconnaissance Planning

Group, into the existing NRO set-up to satisfy the concern

expressed by the Killian Board. If this new element will

not impede the present NRO operation, which we feel is

functioning satisfactorily, Mr. McNamara and I have no

objection to the proposal. Before takin; a position on it,

however, we would like to have the benefit of your views.

Enclosure

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_Top_SEeRgace—L..-of / P

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Agreement Between 

Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence 

On

National Reconnaissance Planning and Operations

Definitions:

NRPG - National Reconnaissance Planning Group

NRP - National Reconnaissance Program, to consist of

all overt and covert satellite and overflight

projects for intelligence, geodesy and mapping

photography and electronic signal collection •

NRO - National Reconnaissance Office

DNRO - Director, National Reconnaissance Office

Responsibilities:

The National Reconnaissance Planning Group (NRPG), consisting of the Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central

Intelligence, is responsible for providing policy and program

guidance and managerial direction for the National Reconnaissance

Program (NRP) and for making final determinations in connection

therewith which do not require the exercise of higher authority.

The Secretary of Defense, as Executive Agent, is responsible for

implementing plans and policies developed by the NR,PG, and for

that purpose has established a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

to manage and conduct the NRP in such manner as to insure the most

effective utilisation of the particular talents, experience, and capabilities within the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence

Agency. The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the

Director of Central Intelligence, designates the Director of the

National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO), who is responsible for

the operation of that office in accordance with the following terms

and conditions:

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Requirements and Priorities:

The NRO will be directly responsive to, and only to, the

photographic and electronic signal (SIGINT) collection requirements

and priorities established by the United States Intelligence Board and

will develop the over-all reconnaissance program to satisfy these

requirements.

Management:

a. The technical management responsibility for all the

NRP is assigned to the DNRO. Under this over-all responsibility for

NRP, DNRO will utilise existing resources in the following manner:

CIA will be the Executive Agent for DNRO for

those covert projects already under its management and such additional

covert projects as are assigned to it by the NRPG.

To provide for full use of available capabilities

and resources, and to provide for interface with data exploitation

equipment development by agencies outside the NRO, personnel of

Army, Navy, Air Force, and CIA. will be assigned, on a full-time

basis, to appropriate positions within the NRO under the DNRO.

A firm liaison channel between the NRO and the

NSA will be established as an adjunct to the technical management

structure of signal collection projects, and the conduct of such projects

carried out in accordance with the exploitation responsibilities of the

NSA.

Planning will encompass maximum utilisation of

the technical and operational resources of the DOD, the Army, Navy.

Air Force, NSA, and the CIA to support all collection programs, including.

but not limited to, electronic signal and photographic collection programs.

b. Financial Management:

(1) The DNRO will be responsible for review and

approval of the total NRP budget. DOD funds allocated to the NRP

will appear as appropriately classified line items in the Air Force

budget. For those covert projects for which it has management

responsibility under paragraph 2. a.) above. CIA will normally

include funds I its regular appropriations. If funds are required

id addition to such appropriations, NRPG. with the approval of the

Bureau of the Budget, may authorise transfers of appropriate
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amounts from DOD to CIA. In the event it is assigned such projects

prior to obtaining such appropriations, initial funding may be by transfer of such funds from DOD to CIA as NRPG with the approval of the

Bureau of the Budget may direct, subsequent funding to be obtained

by CIA through normal appropriation channels. On those projects

where CIA acts as procurement agent for NRO, the funds will be

advanced or reimbursed by DOD to CIA in accordance with the

principles of the Economy Act.

(2) DNRO will have responsibility for all NRP contracts

in accordance with the assignment of technical management responsibility in paragraph 2. a. Consistent with paragraph 2. a. (1), CIA will

be the Executive Agent of the DNRO, responsible for administering

procurement and contracting for covert projects for which it is

assigned responsibility under paragraph 2. a. (1), and for covert contracting necessary for the support of overt projects.

Security:

In accordance with the basic responsibility of the Director

of Central Intelligence for protection of intelligence sources and methods,

CIA will establish security policy for the NRP, including provision for a

uniform system of security control and appropriate delegations of

security responsibility.

Operations:

Scheduling: The mission schedule for all NRP efforts

will be the sole responsibility of DNRO, subject to coordination with

CIA on covert projects for ►Leh it is Executive Agent and the obtaining

of appropriate clearances where required from higher authority.

Operational control for individual projects under the NRP will be

assigned to the DOD or to the CIA by the DNRO in accordance with

policy guidance from the NRPG. DNRO will be responsible to assure

that mission planning will make full use of all intelligence available in

the community.

Format: The DNRO will be responsible for the format

of the collected NRP product as follows:

(1) Photographic format will include the initial

chemical processing, titling, production and delivery to the users as

specified by the USIB.

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(2) Electronic signal data format will include the

decommutation, conversion, technical correction and -reconstruction

of the collected signal data to yield a usable collection product. DNRO

will deliver the collection product in proper format together with

associated data necessary for exploitation, to the NSA or other user

as specified by the USIB.

c. Engineering Analysis: The DNRO will be responsible

for engineering analysis of all collection systems to correct the

problems that exist on the operating system as well as to provide

information for new systems. In connection with covert projects for

which CIA is Executive Agent, this responsibility will be carried out

under the supervision of CIA.

The DNRO is responsible for advanced plans (post CY-1962)

in support of the NRP. In view of the DCIe s major responsibility to

the NSC for all intelligence progrems, all NRO advanced planning

will be coordinated with CIA.

Public releases of information will be the responsibility of

the DNRO subject to the security guidance of CIA.

7. The Deputy Director (Research), CIA, will be responsible

for seeing that the participation of CIA in this Agreement is carried out.

John A. McCone Roswell L. Gilpatric

Director of Central Intelligence Deputy Secretary of Defense

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