REVIEW: 23 an 1999

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. - )VTIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

WASHINGTON. D.C.

THE NRO STAFF EYES ONLY

23 January 1979

MEMORANDUM FOR GENERAL KULPA

SUBJECT: NIO Staff/SAFSP Working Relationships

Dear Jack,

As I indicated in my telephone conversation with you and Ken last

week, I feel that there may be some rather serious interface problems.

developing between the Staff here in Washington and your shop. I have

elected to send you this personal memorandum, outlining the problems as

I see them and requesting your assistance in resolving as many of them

as possible. While I have not discussed these particular issues with

Dr. Mark, I have had numerous discussions with him on the general operating

philosophy which he expects from the Staff and I am therefore reasonably

confident that I am operating within the general framework of his desires.

With the massive expansion of staffs above us, surely there is enough

work to keep us all busy and, hopefully, time to get the work done too;

therefore, I hope that we can resolve these points as soon as possible

and get on with the basic program. objectives. However, if you and I can't

reach an agreement on the operating relationships between our organisetions,then I think it is imperative that we get together with Dr. Mark

as soon as possible and resolve any differences.

The following points seem to be.the major areas where disagreement

may exist between your staff and mine:

a. With the disestablishment of the SOC in the Staff reorganisation it was intended to provide a direct interface between the program

offices and ICRS/SORS. However, Dr. Mark still bolds the Staff responsible for maintaining an operational oversight and for the direct NRO

interface with COMIREE, the SIGINT Committee, and the remainder of the

Intelligence Community on other than routine operational matters. To

this end I think the following ground rules are appropriate. •

(1) The program offices should work directly with thi

tasking and user elements of the Community on day-to-day mission activities

and overall mission planning activities within the general constraints

established by the SIGINT/COMIREX and NRO staff guidelines.

•
(2) All other Community interfaces should be worked

through or with the advice and consent of the NRO Staff program element

monitors. This should include any planned or potential changes to

launch schedules, system capabilities, or other changes to the overall

program plan.

When Dr. Mark established the SP East Coast Office, it

was intended to provide for a flow of Community information from the

East Coast to the West Coast, but not the other way around. I understand and appreciate the fact that your SP East Coast Office must have

day-to-day dialogue and interactions with the Community and the Staff,

and I have no problem with this. However, I do feel that any formal

position or other written data which is to be provided to the Community

must be coordinated with and copies provided to the appropriate elements

of the Staff.

Changes to the established baseine program - -In that the

NRO does not maintain extensive and detailed program plans, it is imperative that the WRO Staff and the program office maintain a mutual

understanding of the overall characteristics of each system. Since

most changes are evolutionary in nature, they are generally tracked

based on prograe office submissions and subsequent approvals. These

programs are then periodically described by the NRO Staff in Director's

Reports and Congressional Budget Justification submissions. It is

imperative that these program submissions accurately reflect the status

and any changes to the program. To this end it is essential that all

program changes which affect the overall capability of the system or its

schedule be documented prior to implementation. Therefore, favorable

verbal indications, be they from members of the Staff, myself, Dr. Cook,

or even Dr. Mark, should not be construed as formal approval to inple -

meat program redirection or new activities. It is essential that such

actions be requested and approved in writing prior to incurring

obligations on behalf of the Government.

Jack, I don't man to be arbitrary or unreasonable and therefore

I wouldn't quibble over the specific words, but I believe my intent is

clear. I also believe that it is important that we reach a mutual

understanding on our respective responsibilities and proceed accordingly.

If you have any major hangups on these points, I an anxious to discuss

them with you.

2 Attachments

1. Memo to COMM 79)

roposed Meg to Director

REVIEW; 23 Jan 1999

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THE 1150 STAFF

liklATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

WASHINGTON. 0 C.

23 January 1979

a

MEMORANDUM FOR CHAIRMAN, CONVEX

SUBJECT: Data Recording Anomaly

4111111P

REFERENT me001:7s4bject as above, dated 17 January 1979 ''

I understand your concerns and have discussed them with General

Ku/pa. I agree that it is important that we maintain proper lines of

communication in order to best serve both the DCI and the DNRO.

General Kulpa has assured me that the purpose of their message

was exploratory in nature. It was intended to define a preliminary

assessment of the impact of veriouspr /data recording anomalies to

enable the program office to explore' iiible technical fixes to

alleviate the more serious problems without impacting the schedule.

Based on DMA's input, it now appears that the program office may be

able to correct at least the most serious deficiencies, if not all,

without impacting the planned launch data. Should he determine he

is unable to correct the problem and meet the planned launch date, he

will notify the DNRO with an appropriate recommendation which will

then be forwarded to the COMIREK for your consideration.

I regret the confusion that was caused; appropriate coordination

will, I hope, preveit a recurrence.

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REVIEW: 23 Jan 1999

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