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--(B)-NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

WASHINGTON. D.C.

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MEMORANDUM FOR TSB DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

SUBJECT: Management of the National Reconnaissance Program Pending

the Implementation of PIM 11 -- ACTION MEMORANDUM

Backsrould

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The National Reconnaissance Program (NIP) has, since its inception,

been a national-level program' with a single manager -- the Director of

the National Reconnaissance Office (DURO), reporting directly to the

Secretary of Defense on policy Natters and to a committee of senior

decision-maters on programmatic matters. In the light of the MRP's

importance, this management arrangement was deemed necessary to insure

the utmost in program flexibility, responsiveness, and effectiveness,

and was defined in a unique charter agreed between the Deputy Secretary

of Defense and the DCI (attached).

The issuance of E0-11905, the short tenure of the CFI, and the

current review of PIM 11, haveplaced the NRP in a questionalbe management position, with no operative charter to reflect the agreement

between the current DCI and the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Problem

By its nature, the NRP is a dynamic program which has, as a natter

of course, open options continually under review for senior-level

decisions at critical program junctures. Because unique incremental

funding methods are used which have been approved by Congress, a high

level of congressional awareness of these optiond and pending decisions

r case in point is the possible cancellation of the

botographic systems and assigning their. missions to

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During the management transition which has existed continuously

since February 1976, the Intelligence Community Staff has increasingly

assumed a assessment position between the DNRO and the DCI and other

PIC(I) principals. This is an unacknowledged change to the DRRO's

and the Secretary of Defense's roles and responsibilities. As such,

it will impact the way in which the critical pending programmatic

options now being developed by the DURO will be presented to the PRC(I)

for decision.

A lessor, but significant, problem of growing magnitude is the

xcessive expenditure of the NROls slin-staff resource in attempting

to execute a charter which is in question.

Recommendation 

ReCommend you discuss this matter with the DCI. The memorandum

opposite and the attached Interim Agreement on the National Reconnaissance

Program could be the basis for these discussions. If you and the DCI •

agree, recommend you sign the menoranduk and interim agreement.

Charles W. Cook

Acting Director

Attachment

ApprOved Disapproved

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WORICINGPAPERS

r Excluded from automatic regrading; f

DoD Dir. 5200.10 does not apply. .S678:6

1. Establish the NRO as a separate agency of the DoD and

will have the ultimate responsibility for the management and

operation of the NRO and the NRP;

2. Choose a Director of the NRO who will report to him-

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and be responsive to his instructions;

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SECRET

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)1 ,August 1965 .

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AGREEMENT FOR REORGANIZATION OF THE

NATIONAL RECONNALSSANCE PROGRAM

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A. The National Reconnaissance Proeram .

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1. The NRP li a single program, national in character,

to meet the intelligence needs of the Government under a

strong national leadership, for the development, management,

control and operation of all projects, both current and long

range for the collection of intelligence and of mapping and

geodetic information obtained through overflights (excluding

peripheral reconnaissance operations). The potentialities of

U. S. technology and all operatiopal resources and facilities

smst be aggressively and imaginatively exploited to develop

and operate systems for the collection of intelligence which

are fully responsive to the Government's intelligence needs

and objectives. • '

." 2. The National Reconnaissance Program shall be responsive

directly and solely to the intelligence collection requirements

and priorities established by the United States Intelligence

Board. Targeting requirements and priorities and desired

frequency of coverage of both satellite and manned aircraft

missions over denied areas shall continue to be the responsibil

of USIB, subject to the operational approval of the 303- Cominitt

B. The Secretary of Defense will: •

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3. Concur in the choice of the Deputy Director of the:MR°

taho will report to the.DNRO and be responsive to his instructior •

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4. Review and have the final power to approve the NRP budge •

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• S. Sit with members of the Executive Committee,•when

necessary, to reach decisions on issues on which committee

agreement could not be reached.

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.C. The Director of Central Intelligence will:

1.* Establish the collection priorities and requirements

for the targeting of AMP operations and the establishment of

their frequency of coverage; .

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Review the results obtained by the NRP and recommend;

if appropriate, steps for improving such results;

Sit as a member of the Executive Committee;

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. . 4. Review and approve thee NRP budget each year;

5. Provide security policy guidance to maintain a uniform

syitem in the whole NRP area. •

D. National Reconnaissance Program Executive Commfttee •

1. An NIP Executive Committee, consisting of the Deputy

Secretary of Defense, the Director of Central Intelligence,

and the Special Assistant to the President for Science and •

Technology, is hereby established to guide and participate in

the formulation of the NRP through the DNRO. (The DNRO will

sit with the Executive Committee but will not be a voting menthe

If the Executive Committee can not agree on an issue the

Secretary of Defense will be requested to sit with the Committe

discussing this issue and will arrive at a decision. The NI

Executive Committee will:

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Recommend to the Secretary, of Defense an appropria

level of effort for the NEP in response to reconnaissance

:requirements provided by 11513 and in the light of technical•

capabilities and fiscal limitations.

Approve or modify the consolidated National

Reconnaissance Program and its budget.

Approve the allocation of responiibility and the

corresponding funds for research and exploratory development

for new systems. FUnds shall be to ensure that a

vigorous research and exploratory development effort is achieve

and maintained by the Department of Defense and CIA to design.

and construct new sensors to meet intelligence requirements

aimed at the . acquisition of intelligence data. This effort

shall be carried out by both CIA and DoD.

Approve the allocation of development responsibilities and the corresponding funds for specific raconnaissaLc

prOgrans with a view to ensuring that the development, testing

and production of new systems is accorplished with maximum

efficiency by the component of the Government best equipped wits

facilities, experience and technical competence to undertake th.

assigrment. It will also establish guidelines for collaboratio

between departments and for ustual support where appropriate.

Assignment of responsibility for engineering development of

sensor subsystems will be made to either the CIA or DoD componea

in accordance with the above criteria. The engineering developPent of all other subsystems, including spacecraft, reentry

vehicles, boosters and booster interface subsystems shall in '

genera/ be assigned to en Air Force component, recognizing,

however, that sensors• spacecraft and reentry vehicles are irate•

gral components of a system, the development of which must

proceed on a fully coordinated basis, with a view to ensuring

optimum system development in support of intelligence require- ,

merits for overhead reconnaissance. To optimize the primary_

objective of systems development, design requirement of the

sensors will be given priority in their integration within the..

spacecraft and reentry vehicles. -

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a. Assign operational responsibility for various

types of maireed overflight m.ssions to CIA or DoD 'subject to

the concurrence of the 303 Committee. ..

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• .Periodically review the essential features of the

major program elements of the NRP. • "

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, 2. The Executive Committee shall meet on the call of

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either the Deputy Secretary of Defense or the Director of

.Central Intelligence. All meetings will be attended by the

.D030 and such staff advisors as the Deputy Secretary of Defense

or the Director of Central Intelligence consider desirable.

' E. National Reconnaissance Office 

To implement the NRP, the Secretiry of Defense will

establish the NRO as a separate operating agency of the DoD.

It shall include the SOC which 4%41 be jointly manned.

The Director of the NRO shall be appointed by the

Secretary of Defense. The Director NRO will:.

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Subject to direction and control of . the Secretary

of Defense and the guidance of the Executive Committee as set

forth in Section D above, have the responsibility for managing

the NRO and executing the NRP..

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Subject to review by the . Executive Committee and

the provisions of Section D Above have authority to initiate,

approve, modify, redirect or terminate all research and develo•

programs in. the U?. Ensure, through appropriate recommandat•

to the Executive Committee for the assignment of research and

development responsibilities and the allocation of funds, that

the full potentialities of agencies of the Government concern

with reconnaissance are realized for the invention, improvemen•

and development of reconnaissance systems to meet 6SIB require

meats.

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c. Have authority to require that he be kept fully •

and completely informed by all Agencies and Departments of the

Government of all programs and activities undertaken as part of

the NIP. '

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. . d. Maintain andprovide to the mothers of the Executiv

1 Committee records of the status of all projects, programs and

.. activities of the NRP in the research, development, production

• and/dr operational phases. •

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a. Prepare a comprehensive budget for all aspects of

the National Reconnaissance Program. .

Establish 's fiscal control and accounting procedur

to ensure that all funds expended in support of. the National

Reconnaissena Program are fully accounted for and appropriatel•

utilized by the agencies concerned. In particular, the budget

shall show separately those funds to be applied to research and.

exploratory design development, systems development, procurement:

and operational activities. Ronda expanded or obligated under:

the authority of the• Director of Central Intelligence under -

PUblic Law 110 shall be administered and accounted for by CIA .

and will be reported to TIRO in accordance with agreed upon

procedures.

Sit with the USIB for the matters affecting thelat

The Deputy Director NRO shall be appointed by the DCIt

with the concurrence of the Deputy Secretary of Defense.and

shall serve full time in a line position directly under the

Director NRO. The Deputy Director shall act for and exercise

the powers of the Director, k30 during his absence or disabilit

The NRO shall be jointly staffed in such a fashion as

to reflect the best talent appropriately available frown the CIA

the three military departments and other Government agencies. •

The MO staff will report to the DNRO and DDN3O and will mainta

no allegiance to the originating agency or Department.

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F. Initial Allocation of Program Responsibilities 

1._ Responsibility for existing programs of the NRP shall

be allocated as indicated in Annex A attached hereto.

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(signed) Cyrus Vance (signed) W. F. Reborn

Deputy Secretary of Defense Director of Central Iatelliger

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The folio:Wing assignments for the development of new

optical sensor subsystems are made to take full advantage of

technical capability and experience of the agencies involved.

1. The CIA will develop the improvements in the CORONA

general search optical sensor subsystems.

2. Following the selection of a concept, and a contractor

for full-scale development, in the area of advanced general

search, the CIA will develop the optical sensor subsystem for

that system.-

The Director, 1.70 will, in managing the corresponding over

all systems developments, ensure that:

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The management of and contracting for the sensors is"

arranged so that the design and engineering capabilities in ".

the various contractors are most efficiently utilized."

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The'sensor packages and other subsystems aie.integrate

in an over-all system engineering design for each system, Witt

DNRO having responsibility for systems integration of each

over-all system.

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THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF Diktat

WADONSTON. D. C.15301

MEHORANDUH FOR THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL ramacmcz

SUBJECT: Management Arrangements for the National Reconnaissance

Program

As the result of the unresolved Intelligence Community reorganization, started in February 1976 with E0-11905 and continuing with

PRH 11, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) charter has been in

abeyance for over a year. This has resulted in a debilitating situation regarding the authority of the NRO, especially, with respect to

the staffs of the PRC(I) principals. In order to insure the necessary

high level management visibility of this most critical function, I

feel that we should agree to follow the last effective charter of the

NRO (with necessary updates) until PRM 11 is implemented. The necessity for the DNRO to expeditiously prepare the PRC(I) for critical

pending SICINT and imaging system decisions suggests some urgency in

this tatter.

Attachment
-TOP-SECRETINTERIM AGREEMENT

ON THE

NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM (NRP)

In the interim period until the implementation of PRM 11, the

Charter of the NIP shall be that of 11 August 19654111111678-65,

with the following updated changes:

The functions of the NIP Executive Committee shall be

performed by the PRC(I).

The functions of the USIB shall be performed by the

The functions of the 303 Committee shall be performed

by the Special Coordinating Committee.

The DNRO will report directly to the PRC(I) on programmatic matters and to the Secretary of Defense on policy matters. The

IC Staff shall support the DNRO with requirements for and intelligence

utility evaluations of NRP systems, but shall exercise no line management function over the NRO.

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DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

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