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A. Organization 

(1) Internal,

The overall direction, programming, and financial

management of the NRP non-operational R&D program is the

responsibility of the DNRO and his Staff (Director of the

Staff and Comptroller). The Office of the Secretary of the

Air Force (Special Projects) and the CIA (OD&E and OR&D) act

as agents (Program Offices) for the implementation of approved

projects. While some conceptual and basic feasibility studies

are conducted in-house, most laboratory and development work

is performed by contract with industry under the direction of

the NRO Program Offices.

(2) External 

External coordination of the R&D program is accomplished at the DNRO Staff and program office levels through

cleared individuals in related activity organizations (Air

Force, DDR&E, ASD(I), Army, Navy, ARIA and NASA).

B. Decision Process for R&D Program Approval 

The following are the general review criteria used

within the NRO in the R&D decision process:

Should the NRO undertake the work?

Is the program in response to NRO needs; is it

inherently "black"; and is any other entity working

in the technology area?

Should the project be done within the NRO R&D program?

Is the project specific to an operational system or

applicable to several systems? Is there an end product

in mind?

At what level should the work be funded?

Is the project time critical; is the level adequate

to accomplish the established goals?

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In February of each year, the DNRO Staff translates

the above questions into specific technology areas and provides ,

guidance to the program offices for the R&D program to be

pursued in the near-term (coming FY) and long-term (FYDP).

The program office submissions emerge in Nay-June and provide

considerable technical/financial detail on prior year, current

year and projected efforts. The R&D program is then evaluated

by the DNRO Staff and technical advisors in terms of priority,

duplication, external agency activities, program objectives

and funding constraints. After several iterations, the

recommended program involving about 200 separate efforts is

submitted to the DNRO and NRP ExCom in July for approval.

Updates of the program are formally submitted to the DNRO/

ExCom in November for final structuring of the current and

next FY R&D program. Notwithstanding the above formal

approvals, the DNRO Staff continually reviews the R&D program

throughout the year and reprograms efforts where necessary

to meet changing technology requirements.

C. Categories (Unique) •

For non-financial management purposes, the .NRO Support

R&D program is organized functionally within unique categories.

as follows:

Readout Imaging Systems

High Resolution Imaging Systems

SIGINT Systems

Communication/Data Systems

Spacecraft/Support Systems

Survivability/Vulnerability

Photographic R&D

Miscellaneous Development

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3. 1969-1974 Program 

The total NRO program has usually been under 

h the non-opera R&D program inc111111111111111111 ut

or 

As discussed above, the non-operational R&D efforts approved

normally apply to several operational programs requiring support.

When a particular technology effort results in an operational

program improvement or change, the costs of the prior R&D is

included in the specific operational program costs as a part

of development.

For internal and external financial management purposes,

the subject R&D efforts described in the aforementioned NRO

control categories are specified as follows:

R&D Support: - Applied Research

Advanced Development

Vulnerability

Photographic R&D

• Miacellaneous Development

4, 1975-1979 Program

A, Objectives 

The goal of the NRO R&D program is to provide the DNRO

and Wpm with alternatives for meeting USIB requirements in a

continuously changing technical, political, and funding environment. In support of existing systems, research is planned for

improved data processing and storage systems, and the investiga..

tton of new_technioues for conventional and non-conventional pew

waging systems, There is increasing

es* a s on e a ap ion of NRP systems to DoD missions such

as rapid crisis response and tactical reconnaissance. In

addition to improving system capabilities, the R&D program is

Also directed toward increasing the cost•effectiveness of

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present NRO operations. Long-range projects have been

established and are directed toward intelligence assessment

of future weapon systems suchenergy lasers, cruise

missiles, and potentially, th acility. These programs

require continued support.

Total Program Vis-A-Vis R&D 

In the present funding situation, the buying power of

the NRO is declining while both traditional and non-conventional

mission requirements continue to evolve and demand response.

During this period it is essential ehat we maintain or increase

non-systems oriented research and development programs so that

an adequate technology base is maintained for meeting future

requirements.

R&D by Categories 

The functional R&D categories will continue as currently

configured since the USIB has continuing requirements in each

specific area.

Contract Vis-A-Vis Laboratory Effort 

The basic philosophy of the NRO R&D program is to

undertake only those programs which cannot be properly performed

by other sources, agencies, and laboratories. By definition,

the NRO does not sponsor directly any in-house laboratory efforts

(except studies). However, R&D efforts of interest within

external organizations are monitored and reviewed on a periodic

basis.

Inter-Agency Programs

The NRO relies heavily on "white" inter-agency cooperation and data exchange as well as formally conducted programs

within the "black" organizations. The NRO, Air Force, CIA and

ARPA have formal on-going joint programs. In addition, the

NRO closely coordinates with uther intelligence sources, the

"white" military services, and agencies such as NASA and the

National Science Foundation. This coordination has three

objectives: (1) to provide knowledge of NRP requirements for

the conduct of non-NRO R&D projects, (2) to prevent duplication

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40P-SECREfof efforts, and (3) to promote two-way exchange of technical

data. The "white" agencies provide the mechanism (or channel)

for NRO sponsored technical data to be released to the "white"

worlc!.

5. Emerging Technology and Technology Caps

A particular) .successful effort under NRO sponsorship is

development o th the promise of significantimprovement ove si ver ide resolution, dynamic range,

and minimum modulation levels. Other emerging technologies

include solid state sensors 1112 nc data acquisition

an

Current needs include a more effective integrated crisis

response capability, rapid and balanced application of the

various NRO systems to meet rapidly changing international

conditions. Continued detection and countermeasure efforts

are also required in res onse to on-going Soviet technology

such as evelopment.

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