1 ... ... ._ .. --.. ' .- -.. . ..... --.. ----~.--.....:" 

Functions: NRO .. .." ~\ 11-'.: .... :" •• :-'. ~ ..... "'" ~, :--_ ... 

NRO APPROVED FOR RELEASE 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART . 

DECLASSIFIED ON': 1 OCTOBER 2012 

: 'v! :) :.. ~ ... ; ; .~ t_ 1 

. . 

.. 

-

-

-

-

-

~I! 

-

-

-

~-~_iiiiiiljij!E 

I 

~-

.AG.REEMENT BET\VEEN 

TF...E SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND 

THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL L1\ITELLIGENCE 

ON 

·;L.:t: .~ I.J·\J • .J 

MAJ.'lAGEMENT OF TF..E NATIONAL RECOl\:~A1SS.A..l\{CE PROGRJ1~v!· .. · . 

I. Management of the Na.tional Reconnaissance Program 

A. T'o insure that the particu1a~ talents, experience and capabilities 

within the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence' Agency are 

fully and m.ost effectively utilized in the establishment~ management and 

conduct of th~ National Reconnaissance Programl the Secretary of Defense 

and the' Director of Central Intelligence hereby agree that the S~cretary of 

. Defense shall be the Executive Agent for the National Reconnais sance 

Progra~~ which shall be' 'developed~ managed and conducted in accordance' 

with policies and guidance jointly agreed to by t...~e Secretary of Defense 

and the Direct~r of Ce'ntral Intelligen,?e. 

B. To carry out his responsibilities as Executi~e Agent for· t!"l.e 

National Reconnaissan'ce Program~ the Secretary of Defense will esta.blish 

as a separate operating agency of the Department oi Defense a. National 

Reconnaissance Office under the diraction~ authority and control of the 

Secretary of Defense. 

C. In the execution of their respective responsibilities the 

Secreta.ry of Defense a.nd the Di~ector of Central Intelligence may 

designate.appropriate officials of the Office of the Secretary of Dei.anse 

and the Central Intelligence Agency to examine and mor...itor on their 

behalf the activities of the NatioXlal Reconnaissance Office. 

II. Organization and. Command of the'National- Reconnaissance O~ice 

The National Reconnaissance Office shall consist of: 

A~ A Director appointed from among the officers and employees 

.0£ the Departl'nent of. Defense by the Secretary of Defense with the 

. concurre~ce of the Director of Central Intelligence~ who shall devote 

a major portion of his time to the business oi the ~ational Recon~.aissance 

Office. 

B. A Deputy Director appointed from among the officers and 

employees of the Central Intelligence ·Agency by the Director ~£ qyntral 

. C"~~~i' {, ~,; .. b~ .. ~: ::1" 

. Handle via B YEMAN 1;~;~===)==~~.·~==6~=~~~:;;;~~ Control System. . 
~ "-.·-~' ____ ""·_"' __ " __ ·"'''''''4 _______ .• ''' .................. . 

.. . . .. .. . .. . . "-"', ", ... , .r" ~ . .-.. ~.~ _I.:' 

I ,., l 

NRO APPROVED FOR RELEASE 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART 

DECLASSIFIEI) ON: 1 OCTOBER 2012 

~ i I', • 

;: ,.J ~ 

Intelligence with the concurrence of the Secreta::-y of Defense. The 

Deputy Dil:ectorNRO shall be in the chain of command directly 

under the Director NRO and shall at all tim.es be kept fully and 

currently informed as to all activities of the National Reconna.is sa-nce 

. P::ogram. Under the direction of the Director NRO he shall be 

responsible for: ' 

. 1. Supervising relations between the NRO and the United 

States Intelligence Board and its subcommittees~ an4 the intelligence 

exploitation community. 

2. Supervising all NRP tasks 'assigned by the Director NRO 

to the Central Intelligence Agency. . . . .. 

3. Performing " such other duties as may be as signed by the 

Director ~ NRO. 

The Deputy Director shall act £o:r~ and exercise the powers of the 

Director, NRO~ during his absence or disability. 

C. Such personnel of the Army> 'NaVY:l Air Force~ other 

components of the Department of Defense ~nd the Central Intelligence 

Agency as shall be' assigned on a full time basis to appropriate positions ·f 

within the National Reconnaissance Office. " 

D. The chain of com;nand shall run directly from the Secreta.ry 

of .Defense as Executive Agent to the Directorl NRO. Guidance to 

the Director, 'NRO~ shall be furnished by the Secretary of Defense 

as Executive Agent hereunder and by the United States Intelligence' 

Board. ' 

\ ill. Functions and Responsibilities of the National Reconr..ais.sa~ce Oifice 

Subject to the'direction, authority and control of the Secretary of 

Defense, the National Reconp.aissance Office~ under the operational 

direction and control of its Director, is responsible for the ma.na.gement 

of all a.spects of ~~ NRP, including put not limite.d tol : _ _, 

Halldle via BYEMAN 

Control Syste~ 2 
3 

'€ 

f .... -, . 

• -'w . .. . '"" ~ -. ,-, ,-' .. ",", -: _ .. - '0. .. J ~ 

~-...... 

NRO APPROVED FOR RELEASE 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART 

DECLASSIFIED ON: 1 OCTOBER 2012 

\. ... ~. Development on a continuing basis for the approval of the 

Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence of a 

single National Reconnais sallce Program of all projects for collection. 

of intelligence, mapping al'l.d geodetic information through overflights 

over denied territory, by collection .systems exclusive of normal 

peripheral operations. Maximum use will be made of appropriate 

technical and operational capabilities and resources of the Department of Defense, NSA and CIA to support all collection and proces sing 

projects. 

B. Responding directly and solely to the intellig<.n ce collection 

requirements and priorities established by the United States 

Intelligenc.e Board. 

c. Scheduling all missions for overflights in the National 

Reconnaissance Program, obtaining appropriate clearances where 

required from higher authority. 

D. All NRP flights over denied territory, employing appropriate 

capabiliti~s,. facilities and resources of the Department of Defense 

and the Central Intelligence Agency. 

E. Initial imagery processing, titling, production 'and delivery 

of the collected product to the users as specified by the USIB. 

F. Decommutation, conversion, technical correction and ' 

reconstruction of the collected electronic signal data to yield a usable 

collection product, and delivery of such collection product in proper 

format together with associated data necessary for explOitation to the 

NSA or other user a.s specified by the USIB., 

G. Engineeri:ng analysis of all collection systems to correct. the 

prOblems that exist on the operating' systems as well as to prov.i.de 

information for new sy stems. 

H. Planning and conduct of researc~ and development of future 

NRP projects, utilizing appropriate resources and capabilities of 

the DoD, CIA and private contractors. 

Handle via B YEMAN 

Control System 3 
·f 

J . .. -

N~O A~~ROVED FOR RELEASP 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART 

DECLASSIFIED ON: 1 OCTOBER 2012 

o , . 

I. Presentation, as required, of all aspects, of the NRP to the 

__ ,' Special Group and the President~s ]'orcign Intelligence Advisory Board. 

J. Maintenance of a uniform system of security procedu:-es and 

control in accordance with security policy established for the NRP ~y 

the Director of Central Intelligence. 

K. Preparation of budget requests for all NRO programs. and 

presentation and substantiation of such budget requests to the Secretary 

of Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence, the Bureau of the 

Budget and Congressional Committees. CIA will include 'in its budget 

presentation to the Bureau of the Budget and Congressional Committees 

the funds for those NRP tasks which are assigned to CIA and which are 

to be financed from ~O resources. 

L. Direction and management of the application of, al1.d administration of all funds ma4e available fOl- the Natipnal Reconnaissa.nce 

Program. Funds expended or obligated under the au.thority of the' 

Director of Central Intelligence under Public Law 110 will be administered 

and a.ccounted for by CIA. 

M. Rendition of status of funds reports and analyse s. 

N. Release of public information subject to .the security guidance 

of CIA .. ' 

IV. Authorities. 

The Director" National Reconnaissance O££iceJ in connection with 

his assigned responsibilitie's for the National Reconnaissance Program" 

shall be .authorized to: , 

A. Organize, staff and supervise the National Reconnaissance 

Office. 

B.' Establish~ manage and conduct the National Reconnaissance 

Program. 

c. Assign all project tasks such as techl~cal management:l contracting~ etc." to appropriate elements of the DoD and the CIA~ changing 

such assignments" and taking any such steps he may determine necessary 

to the efficient management of the l\TRP. ' 

Handle via B YEMAN 

Control Syst~m 
--~-------------~.--,.,,,-.. ,,,,.,.,, .. '" ... ", .. 

• • ~ • • 0. 

.... NRo ~P~ROVED FOR RELEASE 0 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IART 

DECLASSIFIED ON: 1 OCTOBER 2012 

Trf" ~ . i '. o 

D. Issue appropriate.in~tructions and procedures implem.enting 

this agreement. 

v. R.elationships 

A. In carrying out his responsibilities for the National Reconnaissa.nce Program, the Director,' National Reconnaissance Office shall: 

1. Report directly to the Secretary of Defense a.nd shall k~ep 

him and the Director of Central Intelligence curre~tly infol·med on the 

NRO and the NRP. In addition he shall keep such officials of the 

Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency as the Secretary of Defense and the Director of .Central Intelligence may respectively 

designate under the provisio'ns of paragraph I. C. to examine and monitor 

the National Reconnaissance Program on their behal!:I personally informed 

on a regula.r basiS, or On l·equest, 'on the status of projects of the 

National Reconnaissance Program. 

2. Establish approp~:iate liaisol1. between the Na.tional 

Reconnaissance Office and the United States Intelligence Boa.rd3 the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and th~ National Security 

Agency. 

3. Where appropriate make use of qualified personnel af the 

Department of Defense and the Central Inteliigence Agency a.s full-time 

members af the National Reconnaissance Office. 

~. Make maximum utilization of appropriate technical and 

operational capabilities and resources of the Department of Defense, 

the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency to 

support all collection and proces sing progl·ams including but not limited 

to" electronic signal a~d imagery programs. ' 

B. Officia.ls of all elements of the Depart..-rnent of Defense and the 

Central Intelligence Agency shall provide support within their rGspective 

authorities to the Director~ Na.tional Reconnaissa.nce Office, as may be 

necessary for the Director to carry aut his as signed responsibilities and 

functions. Streamlined management procedures shall be u.tilized whel"aby 

individual project directors will report directly to the Director~ Nationa.l 

Reconnaissance Office. The Director, National Reconnaissance Office, 

shall be giv.en support as require~ from normal staff eleme'nts of the 

:Handle via. B YEMAN . 

Control System - 5 -

Te~ ~'-A"~ 
I 

';'S j.::;ae==¥ ... ~ .... _ ....... "." ......... . '.1 ....... " .... 

J ~~ ~;;ROVED FcJR RELEASD 

~ U~·.J ~.:0, ~~! 

DECLASSIFIED BY: C/IAJlT . 

DE«;LASSIFIED ON: 1 OCTOBER 2012 

milital·Y departments and agencies of the Department of Defense and 

of the Cent::-al Intelligence Agency concerned, al·~hough these staff 

elements \vill not participate in those project mattel·S except as he 

specifically requests, and these projects will not be subject to l'lo:rmal 

Dapartment of Defense or Central Intelligenc'e Agency staff review. 

VI. Effective Date 

This agreement is effective upon signature and supersecles the 

DoD-CIA NRO Agreement dated·2, May 1962. . 

Handle via BYEMAN 

Con~rol System 

" 

1 .. 3 Mar~h 1963 

Roswell Gilpa.tric 

Deputy Secretary of Defense 

. - 6 -

... "