Approved for Release: 2017102106 C05096183 

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DEPARTMENT OF . rlE AIR FORCE 

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM 

March 31, 1966 

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,,-THR~~~-~--~~j ~ , ,

1......,., ¥'.- \i.. -y -, ...;:) ""\ -<l '-' 

TO: Dr. Flax \)) "\) v .J ·-c 'Q IV a{) 1V\ f\ y\_C>,-) JJ 

I am absolutely shocked at the attached 

memorandum from Finn Larsen (Tab A)o DDR&E 

does not have any authority whatsoever, 

unless specifically so directed by Mr. 

McNamara, to withhold or defer any NRP funds 

(see Aug 1965 NRP Agreement). 

I believe you must straighten this 

matter out without delayo I suggest you 

either send a memo to or have a prompt dis~ 

cussion with Mr .. Vance along the lines of 

the attached (Tab B)o 

I am also mad as hell at Sam Koslovo 

He was threatening actions like this two 

weeks ago because DDR&E was not getting the 

necessary information from the NRO. I was 

mad then--and am even madder now--because 

that was the first time anyone in DDR&E has 

ever said a word about not getting desired 

information (also, Sam did not call me; I 

went to see him because I had heard rumors 

he was unhappy with us). ~~-·--· 

( ' "~ 

Atchs 

- rYJ>\---·- -·~ 

s T .. Stewart 

General, USAF 

nirector, NRO Staff 

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Functions: 

Functions: 

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INDLE VIA BYEM.AN 

~T-ReL~NLY 

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Approved for Release: 2017102106 C05096183 
" ... Approved for Rele~se: 2017102106 C05096183 

HANDL.i::: YlA. .... :"\ ,- \ _u, .. -~ CONTROL SY.S 

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,,,.~··-··· OF . -tE. DIRECTOR OF DEFENSE . RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING 

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..... 1{ .. : .. · '.WASHINGTON, D. C. 20301 

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.. •·· ... '. 3'0 MAR ·.1966 .. ·· . 

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. MEMORANDUM ·FOR The Assistant Secretary of the Ah""' Force ~., 

. ,,..:·.' "' .. .. . , '·. (Research &· DeveloptnentL ... ·: .. :. ~~::.. · . . ''.';'',(-, :::. ,· 

. . .. :_. SUBJECT: ··Continuation of Deferral_ ~-f Special Support,,.Activities .Fune 

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··<~'. .' '<.¥'.I have continued deferral of $18 million of Special Support Activitiesi·~··, 

' . ",: .· .. · ·~· . .:funds with, however .•. the intent of retai~ing these funds for your .. 

. • 

1 

.. · ,<"program.. ., . .. . '-·. :.c'• 

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. ·'' . . . I am concerned about ·the present planning for expenditures in sevez:al 

.. ·• -.: .t: areas. The most critical area which has not been .r~s9lved to my . "·' satisfaction is that of overhead SIGINT. The results o.£ the recent 

: SETTER experiment and the cumulative :resUlte of the various 

·'~.-_·payloads are certainly impressive and indicate the potential value • /. 

,o.f overhead SIGINT beyond any doubt~ .My concerns in this area ..... ·, 

:::· . '. ... ; can best be indicated by some :representative questions. such aa,; ·>.~·~·\.__ ... ·-r·.::-"~~ ".', ··'.· ....... · .... ~·' .· ~_.,.: '• ;~ .. ;.·"· - '.::,"":'··::z.~;.,·~ ... -·~·7'--~·-'~ 

: ..... ,. •1· ... : ' 

' (a} How will the SET?="ER. resW.ta h.1ipa·¢t: on the Multi,,;Group· 

__ . , .. ; .. program? · · . . ' · ... · · · · · ··· · ·,-. · -:· ·,,·.,· '•., · ...... 

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l ., ·: (b) Vlhatare the plans for establishL1.g ·an adequat~ lo~g-range · 

' research and development progra~ fo:r overhead SIGINT? ·, , 

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..... · . ' .... . . . .. i' ..• ' •'" . • .. 

" . . . (c) What are~the current evaluati.ons and plans £0.r~'Continuation 

~ ~:::··:.~.:'" ·, · of the POPPY program-?~·:._ ,. ·. '. ,,.:·./~;:", · ,;_:"~\ ... >- .·.:~ ... <-./· . :· '. .:~---'-,~ I . ~-. . ·. j '•· ' / .•. • •~ .:, ·. I . . 

1 .. ._ .· - ··. {d) ·How will NRO, together with NSA, develop a national plan·. 

1 ·· · · · : fo"r overhead .SIGINT collection? · · -····· · · · ·. ·· ·· ! . _... < I . i ···· .... 

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Approved for Release: 2017102106 C05096183- · 
Approved for Release: 2017102106 C05096183 

doubt as to the advicabi.li-::y 

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o:f current at.ate -a:;.·t 

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! z.r.r.i. concerned by indicationo 

ior 'Titar1 Ill D do"volopr1;..o:r"'t ~;-i..t:Gr_:~:..,~: • .... r ... ~- •• ~ ~-~-·' .-

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COTiCCpts 41 I would iil'-C to receive .:1. det~:..lc~ c>=::1~;:,rA~·~:c·:-~ 

fo.11d.i:ng will be integrated between the t 1 black.' 1 and 11 whH.e 11 

.··A :::;;1~opo;:;al has been :received for RG:D oa the t 1 ISINGLASS11 conccnt. . • - 4 

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.: wn.:.:.le a requirement :r.s not c car y acnnca. ~2erc 1 ;.J.eve:r.:ne.:.e.sc,. .. he 

technology concerned is oi conciderablc into:tcst not: only fo:i.- ;.·cco~-

• ..,. A. ./ l "" Ii .. .,, " • (;"I'll" .. ~ .I . :na1::i sa:nce Du ... oc1er s 1.raccs1c app.1..1cations. i l:l!.3 c.oeq 11.oc as ye·.:: 

in your present budget apportionmo::-.:t. z..<lclitio:J.p the r;.~ ... .....,,,~1."_'t.,.-A -:--~..,..,_~,~- .... c:1 .. ("" .,,..,,~~ i<-'f. .. ~t':), .......... -i. .. -·n':-..--1 ~~,,.,.:; ,"'i.,.....r,--i".'·-... ~"'')rl ._ .... ".:"1--:--.-} .. -i~.;~ .... 1"'. ·t:o~ ?~./:~~7. W..t'•"-'"---"""~J;.A.~ ~J..•i.;..o..J..'f u .:> u .. ft..L4-i..;:; .4.L.4.c,..;.....i1• .......,~ ~.11. .... .....,. .....,.,.4,4....,. .... ._;,.._...._..,.,_.__ _......,.:,.,._,._.......,.-._....,...,.,...j ..._ .... -.v .... .._~ 

sh.ould not preclude contL1uing exploration 

operational sycterns of a completely u..·1.r.-i<:mn:::::d ::J.2.~u::'c. Thece studies 

c:-~ould carried on independent present c;:; ;;urcs. should 

give free rein to the over-all capabilities of c:.::.tfre optical ~:1.d 

.... ""'-, r..,, '-r-r·~ •• ~ n 1 ,-,,-.,y co.,..,,...,.,,..,,...,n...,.; f-·r ~ nd- .,.,,~,,, ::<u·~.~-:; "o' ~ v ;:.,_·« ,.,, T'T°RQ' r.:: d .;_,•r.;,-:· .:;...,..,,, ....... .._1..; h.-_._.._._ ... ...__;,..'"°"'i.~ .A...4.J.J..,J,.•~•-.,..) a .. n k'• \...; ... • t. .... L'-"'· •.111 ....... - -'1-~ ...,. -.,~.., "'-'- .... 

concern ;;.·a.ther than the current rvl".OL scp;4;,.~atc buC:.:::;c:t~ 

::.e do not construe these com.r.v.c:::itG a::; C<:;;ins ting any ovar 

c:ci·~icionl. of the NRO prog:rarn.. I ;;;;.rn very i:nIJ:·.4csaed '>:.y its opera.dona 

pc:c fo:::ma:.:1cc i and I an'l very in-iprc s C'2:d by the q·1.1c::.lity and care of the 

;::i.cw development work. However t I .feel the:.:~ thG :representative areas~ 

:r:c1.0ntioned here~ should be discus in detail \1;tith m.c before FY 6t 

fu.i.-ids are com.rn.itted~ 

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Approved for Release: 2017102106 C05096183 

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