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LEGAL AUTHORITIES FOR THE NRO 

Basic Documents 

By memorandum of 1 September 1960, the National Security

Council, in the name of the President, direCted that certain

components of the Air Force satellite reconnaissance program

be assembled into a program of high priority with a direct line

of command from the Secretary of the Air Force to an Air Force

General Officer. (TAB A)

By memorandum of 15 September , 1960, Acting Secretary of

Defense Douglas directed that the Secretary of the Air Force

assume responsibility for the reconnaissance satellite program

and report for review and approval on the program directly to

the Deputy Secretary of Defense. (TAB B)

The preceding direction was reaffirmed by Secretary of

Defense Gates on 10 October 1960. (TAB C)

On 6 September 1961, Secretary of Defense McNamara

designated the Under Secretary of the Air Force as his Assistant

for Reconnaissance with full authority for the management of the

National Reconnaissance Program. This memorandum relayed an

agreement made between the Secretary of Defense and the Director

of Central Intelligence regarding a single national reconnaissance

program co-managed by the Department of Defense and the Central

Intelligence Agency. (TAB D)

On 26 January 1962, Secretary of the Air Force Zuckert,

by Air Force Order, established the Office of Space Systems in

the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. (TAB E)

On 2 May 1962, the Department of Defense and the.Central

Intelligence Agency established new policy for the responsibility

of the National Reconnaissance Office and designated a single

Director, National Reconnaissance Office, proposing that the

Under Secretary of the Air Force be named as the Director. (TAB F)
On 14 June 1962, DOD Directive 5105.23 established the

National Reconnaissance Office pursuant to the authority vested

in the Secretary of Defense and the provisions of the National

Security Act of 1947 as Amended. This regulation was superseded

on 22 March 1964 by a similarly numbered directive. The directive is itself classified TOP SECRET and not listed with all

DOD regulations or directives. (TAB G)

A second formal agreement between the Secretary of

Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence was signed

on 13 March 1963. This agreement established the Secretary

of Defense as the Executive Agent for the program and agreed

to establish the National Reconnaissance Office as a separate

operating agency of the Department of Defense. (TAB H)

The third agreement between the Director of Central

Intelligence and the Deputy Secretary of Defense was signed

on 11 August 1965 and is the current agreement. (TAB I)

The DNRO formally is designated by the Secretary of

Defense and is given further authority by the Secretary of the

Air Force. (TAB J)

Authorities 

The NRO is constituted in accordance with the authority

vested in the Secretary of Defense by the National Security Act

of 1947 as Amended. Furthermore, the agreements between the

Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency are

authorized also by the authorities vested in the Director of

Central Intelligence by the National Security Act as Amended.

By TOP SECRET Regulation 5105.23, the National Reconnaissance

Office is established as a separate operating agency of the

Department of Defense. By various letters and directives, the

Office of the Secretary of the Air Force has the responsibility

for the overall management of the National Reconnaissance Office

reporting to the Secretary of Defense as Executive Agent. By

tradition, the Under Secretary of the Air Force normally is

assigned the additional duty as Director of the covert National

Reconnaissance Office.

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Financial Activities 

Since the outset of the National Reconnaissance Program

and the establishment of the National Reconnaissance Office,

the programs and budgets have been processed through the

Office of the. Secretary of Defense to the Congress. Chairmen

of the Appropriations and Armed Services Committees have been

fully apprised of the program and each year have approved the

programs and budget for the conduct of the National Reconnaissance

Program. The programming and budgeting activities are carried

out apart from th , • • of Defense submis ions to

the Congress.

Certification for proper expe •i

e o mon•rop a e• n the Defense Department budget is

the responsibility of the Comptroller of the NRO.

Procurement 

All procurements, within the NRO, are made within the

regulatory bounds of the ASPRs. A redelegation of procurement

authority is granted annually by the Under Secretary of the

Air Force (DNRO) to NRO Program A. Procurement authority of

the CIA is contained in Public Law. Program C operates within

the redelegation authority granted to Director, NRO Program A

and does not have its own procurement authority for NRO projects.

Audits

The NRO is audited on a full-time basis by a special

detachment of the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The audit

team maintains full-time personnel at various contractor

facilities. Audit reports are received regularly by the

Director, Defense Audit Agency. Supplemental audits are

conducted at the request of the Program Directors by the

Air Force Auditor General or the CIA Inspector General as

appropriate. Audit deficiencies are reported immediately

to the Director, NRO. Adjudications of discrepancies are

normally made within the regular audit function.

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