OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON 

B 

A 

RANDLE VIA u/i 

CONTROLS,YS 

MAR 14 1966 

MEMORANDUM FOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MOL PROGRAM 

SUBJECT: MOL Priorities 

Attached for your information are copies of recent correspondence addressing the MOL priorities question. Dr. Flax has 

advised me informally that he feels no sense of urgency at this 

time for a decision on the Brick Bat .O1/DX matter; he has 

therefore taken no action with respect to the implementing 

paperwork. 

One aspect of the priorities question which particularly 

concerns me arises from the recent impact of Southeast Asia 

requirements on lead times for certain materials and vendor items. 

Of particular interest in this regard are forgings, extrusions, 

electronic components, gears, copper wire and cable, bearings, and 

alloys of molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, and chromium. Lead 

time quotes by suppliers of these items and materials have increased 

substantially over mid-1965 levels; there is some evidence that the 

situation is still deteriorating. 

The MOL Program Office has conducted a preliminary review of 

this situation during the past week. This survey, while not 

wholly conclusive, indicates a possible need for a review in depth 

of current and projected lead time requirements for MOL. Contacts 

with the Business and Defense Services Administration (BDSA) of 

the Department of Commerce, the Joint Aeronautical Materials 

Activity (JAMAC), and other agencies responsible for administration of the national priorities system, have elicited the following 

ROM lead time requirements for new orders: 

Forgings and Extrusions (requiring new dies) 52 weeks 

Forgings and Extrusions (from existing dies) 40 weeks 

Precision Gears 32 weeks 

Electronic Parts 17 weeks 

Bearings 17 weeks 

Page 114 2 pages 

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DORIAN 

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Request you test your schedules and procurement planning against 

these typical lead times. Should this procedure indicate a 

potential impact on MOL schedules or the present MOL funding 

structure, please advise me without delay. 

If it is at all possible to isolate and identify priorityrelated problems, I believe that it is important to do so now. 

Your message MP-4 22506 Feb 66 discusses potential problem areas 

in general terms. It would be useful in the present circumstances 

if you could develop these, or any other, areas of concern into 

specific and reasonably well-substantiated deficiencies, either 

actual or projected. Your discussion of such deficiencies, if 

any exist, should include an evaluation of how a DX rating for MOL 

would improve the situation. 

/ 

/ a), 

HARRY L. VANS 

Brigadier General, USAF 

Vice Director, MOL.Program 

3 Atchs 

1. Memo for Dr. Flax fr 

Gen Schriever, dtd Feb 3, 

1966 

2. Prop memo for DepSecDef 

fr Dr. Flax 

3. Talking paper on MOL 

priorities 

DORIAN 

HANDLE VIA BYEMAli 

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(Itz Page 244 2 pages 

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DOD DM 5200.10 DOES NOT APPLY 
B. A. C.211RIEVE.2. . ! 

Gunoral, U3AF 

Director, MO1, Pro2ram 

NRC>APPWVED FOR 

RELEASE 1JULY2015 

l',AtIOLE VIA Litgi,Wii4 

CONTROL SYSTEM 

FOR DR. PLAX 

ZLE:JEC2: la:, Priority 

Tia p; st:J.ls of th.: ;:annod 

r;:spcat to DOD 1::;. tor Uracy 

Li . catcz;ory, and ao.L.!:Aod inclustrial -

is dconcd illeonsistent 1:it1i th,! zcono and rrc.- ,cy of -

MOL effort. I rcoond your signatul7a on to 

attached nc..:-or•.'..1dun to , Vance roc:par.:tin: a2!;i:nnt 

of Catcory S (BRICK-DAT .01) Itlilitary urcenoy statuo, 

and DX indastrial priority, to I10L. 

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wpAPPR.OVED FOR 

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1-27:01=7.11.1 FOR IR. VAZ;CP, 

!Inne(1 Orbitins Laboratory Priorities -

;':unned Or:fltin72; LaberaEory im 

in DOD l'uster Ursenzy L Catory 1 (0722-C:T), 

In ry juk7ileat, tic :2 COD,"! ac nr:cr_cy of th 

clsfert T;:..arrant assisent of Catc::ory 0 (=0:i-DAT .01) 

itary urzency desisnator, and D indu!;trisi priority, to 

I have elected to op.uroncla you directly in this y.7.7..tter 

rathnr than proceed. as outlined. in DOD Instruction 1:)110.3 

pri.acinal).y because of the unu.sual security cnIvircr17.1cnt -

eandins ;:,:OL. The. rationale for T_Ticic-312 .01/D:: reCC";- .

111 for the prosran I larUcly clerived from the 1.•:.- -tiona3. 

licer..nne.issance ion azzi.snod to 10L. The 

association bet*,•reen the OL reconnalsosnee function ant the 

Dubliely-announcedl:OL Prorsla clearly u:,•t be protected. 

ITitnin the constraints of this, protection, I 'aiiove it 

essential that priorities consistent Irith t,hoze. as:.:.1.17;1ed..to 

otbzr space systc:]s supportins the iTational R -:connaissance 

Pro:raa be acsished_ to the 1,10L/DORIfil." effort. 

It neenz, clear, in view of the openly ar.no-aseca aspc-ct 

of OL, that it -All not be practicul to establish a rholly 

structure, sx has been the case with 

GA:73IT. .:Teithor is it practical, in r..y opinion, to prepare 

a viable justification for top rational priority Irithout 

reference to the OL rbconnaissalle•2 nission. 

Li addition to the security acneet:3 of the OL priorities 

I r.17a concerned aibout the relative priorities of 

the :.,1-•ollo and r.OL prosra-.%:;. An you heou, the Air Ti'orec is 

cc:..:Ittca to the fullest possible use of er.r.istinc.; 

capz-.!.hilities and hard-a-are. 0:e result of this co.y:-.itnt 

roratoica= Parr:: 1of 2 

CO:ijilef( 3 c:17:1.cs 

F.AP2L DTL 22C27-r.(., 

RANDLE VIA

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BYEMAN.:: TOP S2,LT 

CONTROL SYSTEM 
N'Rp APPROVED FOR 

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llM1DLE VA 

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11: of contractors, 11!brxnc,.:orr3, 

ven4:;or, ter,t ztTport r ::cc, and faA.,ilitico. rZhe 

ct! wide Cr;parity Jeen 1.M, and Apollo y)rioritics 

in thCz;C circilance;';, ir:Tact 

LOT, c iod:1.c nrd. I believe :t c.fr to 

1-; nin a relizcnable prioritie balailcc betx:en tile two 

5).2erz7:.1o. I do not, hoover, believe ti t the nction!!.1 

reot io oerved by aub7aitting this crentic!I to 

t:7.on and debate at the various a-oproval 

involved in prooezoin3 a noLination for BRICK-12,\T .01/I 

priority. 

In 11.ht of those cireu=tan.eco,I requent yo!Ir 

in ettablichin5 E2ICK-DAT .01/DX otatu:.; for ML. I - an 

:%tt%chlncL for yoar reference extracto frcil an2licabln cower,- 

voe,2.enee addresoing the v.rgeney of the flOL/Da7.Ndeffort, and 

a .:;:eort po:per dealing with the eztent of joint uoe of reocuoceo 

betwcen MOL/DORIAN and. the GIVADIT. and Apollo pro;Lrf...!;• 

ro.a72:16 

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TOP SECRET CONTROL SYSTEM 

aTTIACTS r C0777:7,077D:77'CTP 

2.r.orztndtra. for the President from the Secretary of 

D.7:fense, dated August 24, 1565, subject: I.:armed. 

Crbiting Laboratory: 

"1 blieve that there is a vital national 

need for reconnaincance photolraphy at a 

r:::olution of The 

first and obvious need is for technic.::.1 

Thro is also a clear need, 

pa particularly during tine3 of crisis, for high. 

resolution Ithotography of tactical objectiw,s. 

Closely related to these applications is the 

potential use of high resolution photo:;raphy 

to assist in the policing of arm control 

agreements." 

Letter to Honorable Alexander H. Flax, Assistant 

Scrotary of the Air Force, frog Donald F. Hornig, 

Species. Assistant for Science and Technology, dated 

I:overdber 22, 1965: 

"The nenel is convinced that a high resolution orbital reconnaissance system is a high priority national, • 

goal." 

Doam 

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Copy. 5o CV,-: 1 ,'S 

S:TCL BIB 21024-:6 

HANDLE VIA aa12,1i 

CONTROL SYSTEM TOP . Sri:Pi'T 4. g 1: 
i NRO APPROVED FOR 

FIELEASE'l JULY2015„__ 

4 

C 74 441144, 

11ANDLE - VIA • ;‘ f:. .. • . 

CONTROL SYSTEM 

T ti 1:014 r1o.t: 12 

as folloTis: Evory acesolate ecntrotor, and ne,,,t 

subc:ontraetor;;, have centractu,u oL71t=rit::, not 

to 1:at to :=AT .01/L 

#r=tv.ro. In tlIce 

'Ii rc:;21:,reen, calclfneilitiao fc,%. ail • 

fo.c,itc of systcu aceuisitls;) with 

:re 3odice. Of particillar interect in thin rzn.•ei 

v-aat•lvn pioritics of Y.01, a7ld Ar;ollo. 

rz;narls.L; which folio'r nra not •intorfi. to 1.7p1y tnnb 

recific recourez allocationproblenz have bx;on. or 

that ::01, naherlulcs are rresent cncinTeel'ol rts a rc,sult or 

p,ricrities difficulties. The contrrxy is tin. case. The D'OL 

1:tructnTe was selcetcd, CL b l2ast in imrt, ci 

of to produce to YOL schedales in sylLe c: 

r,rjotv ecIlnitT.ents. ronctleos, n: in 

cati1 within uhieh any 20L/Apollo al2ocatic%2 re:Q11:. 

by tIve nTtional priorities syntouL ,All firt, In 

sairm.ay, uronrTaM. Incw Ofthe scone anq u:4zency of:L41e 

1:0L/Ikan.1 effort, this situation would 7 te be inon,;Intmt 

with cintion.l interest. The naticeal 

HANDLE VIA BYEVE 

CONTROL SYSTEM 
NRO APPROVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015 

71j1m 

HANLE VIA 

CONTROCSYSIEM 

-2-vod by a balanocC, 72rioriti syst, in 

LOLNello prioritie:; prob co!ad be resolved conl:;i7;u:31y, 

ti .o..:,chaaieally. As a przeTdeni b.:,1:2nco 

is aeldeved by ezzi.sar,..ent of ..111IC: 7 -7,221.T 

nrioiticr, to .voL. 

Tb .7,atrix iJ; intended to co:Ivey 

fo*.• c:el of the iLduotrira. iaterface 

11,dalAr.ollo. The EOL 10 ecatrao'z,oz c) ::r.-,n4 %atia.% ,it;-,.1dca a tyyical alt of rolationnhipo; ciir 

eircir,:ntazec!.5 can b,.1 C1/2fined for G?rliy:i B, the Titan ::ii 

crew ccip.4=nt, and ted; operation re;:ouroes. 

KOLLAPOILO InUMMIT=C 

TAB VETEICL73 

Swnller ••■■••■,......■•■■••••••1 

Vehicle DOW"*.L.t.,.3 Hantin3- S.rn. V 

to:f bacli S IVB ctaa 

cittal Control United Aircraft. 

Li.fe Su:.?port Sub- Corporation. 

Control al 

TrIslotion Koncyuell 

• SLabill2:atica 41; 

Control 0-jr:5te 

L77,fe 

Suppit Ec:aiwcnt 

T,1,:,ctrio,1 Power -

Subsytc:.1 • 

United Aircraft 

Corporai;lon 

Collins Radio 

Arc3/o 

Po..:err.13.aat 

Arp110 

• ita frd.11):7L7n ,,71 -

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HANDLE VIA Bala 

CONTROL SYSTEM 
3 

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NRCSAPPF.Z.OVED FOR 

RELEASE 1 JULY 2015-- 

,1f711 A V( , HANDLE VIA 1 i:114,thi [ 

CONTROL SYSTEM 

(e.filetcd lo in 

tha i1e Za)L/A.:sull L:dot-eica 

VSnicla. The r:ioritIon 

v.;.1jor sr.bcontraetol-o chz1:n thronL:h seve2ca tic c2 

cIrct 

A 5CJC,2, .Ci najuz. arca in Lci przent ML 

to uith the w±,xcc oect:Iws of t!1,.) 

in in e;tin,; bctwon 1T,L c(3. r=1T 

'f/.:71TL7 p.lyload it o r dp::ndent ul)en 

vnich twal)evt 2c6. in 

1::rob1c73t, and in the r cC O t.Ltiv,a int.:r2vt3.0:a 

by tl-,.1) co:nizc,at NO aceney, I:01J rcauirents 1111 de2er to 

recv.lre.zents. It CCCIa3 clear that it -c,ay nct alw.ys be 

ia the national interest to detc=ine preccdtnce in t'his•ar.tofar;hion. The 1Zatielial 1cerin-liczance Pro2=1 

'Oettz.r r;ezvcd by a balcnnd priorities syotc:1 relatin2. :;OL an 

tha tinniest apnron.ch to the rcquirf:d bae 

to 'provide ML vith BRICTAIT .01/DX sttut. 

UnDLE VIA BYELIAN 

CONTROL SYSTEM