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j.s-r NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, O.C. 

OFFICE OF THE DiRECTOR October 10, 1969 

MEMORANDUM FOR MR. PACKARD 

SUBJECT: Organization of the NRO 

This memorandum is intended as a brief summary of how the 

NRO is organized internally and how we work in theory and in fact. 

You are, of course, very familiar with the external organizational environment. I have attached, for your reference, a sketch 

of that arrangement (Figure 1}. From our point of view, the operation is, in fact, much in accord with that diagram. Intelligence 

collection requirements and priorities are provided us by a single 

entity, the USIE, and I expect our performance to be judged in terms 

of our satisfaction of these requirements. Obviously, we cannot 

satisfy all the stated needs and USIE by its nature is not in a position 

to weigh adequately the trades in terms of costs and schedules. While 

I feel that the mechanism for bringing issues of resource allocation to 

your consideration with the Executive Committee is adequate in the 

main, I am far from satisfied 1.nd I intend to improve it considerably 

in the near future. 

My internal NRO organization is sketched in Figure 2. I have 

indicated there the numbers of government people assigned full time 

in these activities. {We are also supported by 226 people at the 

Aerospace Corporation.) My line deputy is Bob Naka who supports 

me directl· in all NRO matters. He is a CIA employee and I expect 

him to pay . ''ticular attention to CIA programs and to spend a significant portion of his time working in depth with the CIA. Dr. Nah.a 

~~epresents the NRO on a number of OSD st..:.ay groups currently active 

in our areas and is presently assessing fc me the utilization o+- the 

EA1 .. vP TAG BOARD IDEALIST 

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HEXAGON CORONA 

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U-2 aircraft. Harry Davis is not shown on the chart but spends a 

portion of his time insuring that technology and system developments 

in normal Air Force channels and in the NRO are related as necessary. 

4 

Our Comptroller,~-----~ is also Mr. Schedler' s deputy 

for Air Force programs and budgets, and in this capacity reviews 

Air Force budgets and funding and is involved in normal DOD program 

processes. In the NRO,~------~has complete responsibility for 

the financial management of the NRP. He has no backup support in 

the Pentagon. For the NRP~-----~has introduced several 

management innovations to assure positive program control, but yet 

permit an adaptable, responsive approach to managing the Program. 

My NRO Staff numbers approximately 70 people. About 40 of 

these are assigned to the NRO Satellite Operations Center (SOC) in 

the basement of the Pentagon. This Center is responsible for our 

day-to-day working relations with the committees and subcommittees 

of USIB. They meet with these groups regularly and participate in 

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the formulation of collection requirements. Once these are established, 

the Satellite Operations Center is responsible for translating the requirements into specific target locations and priorities and for issuing 

the necessary tasking guidance to our operating organization on the 

West Coast. The SOC receives intelligence needs daily and optimizes 

satellite operations against needs. Both during and after a mission 

the successful collection is accounted and an adjustment to priorities 

is made immediately. I believe that this portion of the operation is 

remarkably responsive, direct and effective. 

The remainder of the Staff performs more normal staff activities. 

Implementation of the established policies in security control and interagency affairs is a major staff activity, as is program cognizance, 

budget preps.ration and program analyses. I am satisfied with the way 

my Staff Ok :-"'°':s in many areas. I still feel there is room for a major 

improvemetn 1L 1.he way in which we draft issues for your consideration 

in the Executive Committee. Our shortcomings are caused, in part, 

by the rigid separation of requirements (USIB) and programs (NRO). 

An improved capability for systems analysis to illuminate the trades in 

cost and value would help; and, as I have meLioned previously, I am 

establish~:".g such a capability within the S-caff _ I have in mind a group 

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of about five people. Bob Naka is just completing his interviews and 

we expect to have some of the people on board within the next few 

weeks. We are planning to staff this group with people from CIA, 

Navy, Army, Air Force and perhaps NSA. Our first effort, by two 

of this group already available on the Staff, was a study of the 

~-----------~!follow-on issues which we discussed in 

the August Ex Com. This same cadre of the analysis group is now 

laying out the FY 1971 budget issues, with particular attention to 

possible reductions in the SIGINT area, in preparation for the 

November Ex Com. 

There is a limit as to how far my Staff should go in attempting 

to evaluate intelligence worth, and I think we must rely on the USIB 

and DOD structure. We will evaluate alternative means of collection 

with their costs and risks using value judgments prepared by the intelligence community. In some cases I believe that USIB judgments 

are objective and appropriate. I wonder whether the very large program involvement of the CIA sometimes may cause USIB judgments 

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to be influenced by the judgment of CIA people, who naturally favor 

those systems which are the responsibility of the CIA. The separation 

of the NRO from the DIA, conversely, does not appear to cause DIA to 

have any organizational bias with regard to NRP alternatives. 

I am also using an "ad hoc study group 11 approach on particular 

issues. For example, I had Bob Naka look into the question of 

HEXAGON vs. an additional CORONA buy. 

Several of our Staff people are currently participating in a number 

of DDR&E studies -- on ELINT resources, on vulnerable reconnaissance and intelligence collec~0rs, on the value of resolution, SALT 

verification, and technology fer ~--------~ 

As you know, we also have an 11 overseer 11 group (General Bill 

King, John Crowley and Captain Bob Geiger) who follow closely our 

effort in near real time readout and report its progress to the Ex Coff. 

Brigadier General Bill King is the Director of Program A. His 

overt title is Director of Special Projects, Office of the Secretary of 

the Air Force. He deals primarily with satellite photographic and 

SIGINT reconnaissance, including systems readiness and checkout, 

launching, orbital control, and recovery of payload capsules. 

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General King is supported extensively by the Air Force Space and 

Missile Systems Organization. As a deputy commander of SAMSO, 

he has direct command and control authority over all elements involved· in the program -- a launch base force of some 400 people at 

both Vandenberg Air Force Base and Patrick Air Force Base; the 

Air Force world-wide satellite control network; and the data reentry 

vehicle recovery forces in Hawaii. During any particular mission 

all range and support facilities are singularly responsive to his 

direction. The Program A group is very effective in program 

management. They are decoupled from the intelligence community 

and rely on Staff guidance in intelligence evaluation and in the 

assessment of performance or trades. 

Carl Duckett is the Director of CIA Reconnaissance Programs 

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and has responsibilities in both aircraft and satellite reconnaissance; 

his satellite activities are in an Office of Special Projects (CIA/ OSP) 

headed by John Crowley; his aircraft activity is handled by the Office 

of Special Activities (CIA/ OSA) under Air Force Brigadier General 

Don Ross; ELINT / COM INT equipment and ECM systems are developed 

by the Office of ELINT (CIA/OEL) under George Miller. This group 

provides some covert contractual and procurement functions, and 

conducts assigned research and development efforts for both aircraft 

and satellite reconnaissance projects. This group, in contrast to 

Program A, is an element of the intelligence community and is typified 

by an exceptional understanding of intelligence needs and values. On 

the other hand, they exhibit less skill in their attention to system 

management and cost control. I am working to improve cost management of the CIA programs. Bob Naka is devoting a good deal of his 

time working very closely with CIA in this area. 

NRO Program C is responsible for providing the POPPY signal 

intelligence payload. The work is carried on principally in-house 

at the Naval Research Laboratory. The technical competence of this 

group is exceptionally high. The POPPY payload has been one of 

our more effective collectors -- so long-lived that we may be gin to 

question the need for additional vehicles. I am impressed with the 

capabilities of this group and am examining the possibility of using 

their capability on perhaps another project. 

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Program D manages the TAGBOARD drone aircraft system and 

the SAC U-2 aircraft program. They also manage the SANDY HOOK 

drone project. This group directs the activity of some 144 people at 

two Air Force depots in support of all U-2 activity, the TAGBOARD 

drone, and several NRO satellite programs. 

I believe that the NRO is properly organized for the present. I 

anticipate some changes as programs evolve and as I implement certain needed improvements. We have the ability to manage our program within ExCom guidance. My Staff can examine system alternatives and evaluate technical options. I am satisfied to cooperate with 

the several OSD studies underway which examine the worth of certain 

intelligence data and which examine the intelligence value of the 

collection systems of other organizations in comparison with those 

of the NRO. When the needed information relates to evaluation of 

alternate collection platforms for overflight of denied areas, I believe 

we can and should do the job in cooperation with the intelligence 

community. 

A ttachm0: 1ts 

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5 PAGES 
Mr Helms, Chmn 

Lt Gen Cushman, CIA 

Mr Sullivan, FBI 

Mr Brown, AEC 

Lt Gen Bennett, DIA 

V Adm Goyler, NSA 

N\r Hughes, Slate 

Mr l.c;y, Exec Secy 

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THE ll RP On G fil·ll Z A Tl O tl Al Et·l VI RO ll frH UT 

THE PRESIDENT 

Dr Kissinger, V/H 

Na Mitchell, AG 

Mr Packord, DOD 

N\r Johnson, Stole 

Mr Helms, DCI 

Mr Chopin, Exec Secy 

Gen Taylor Chmn 

Dr W O Baker 

Mr Gray 

Dr land 

f/\r R D Murphy 

N\r Pace 

Gov N A Rockefeller 

/Ar F B Lincoln, Jr 

Dr F D Murphy 

Adm Anderson 

l,\r Coyne, Exec Secy 

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Dr Dubridge 

II 

Panel on NRP Matters 

Dr Land, Chmn 

Dr J Baker 

Dr Drell 

Dr Garwin 

Dr Ling 

Dr Pucket! 

Dr Purcell 

Dr Shea 

Dr Goldberger 

Dr Steininger, Exec Secy 

DIRECTOR -~1 

CE NT R /\ L I NH: L LI G E N C E 

Mr Helms . '---------=--~--~ .... ~ 

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 

Nir laird 

DEP SECRET/I.RY OF DEFENSE 

Mr Pockard 

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Nl~P Executive Committee 

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Mr Packard, Dcp Sec Def 

Mr Helms, DCI 

Dr Dubrid9e,WH 

Figure 1 

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NRO Dircclor 

Dr Mclucas 

Dcpuly Director 

Dr Naka 
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llATIOlHIL nECOfHlfdSSArlCE OFFICE 

NRO 

Director: Dr Mclucas 

D e p u t y Dire ct or: Dr N a k a 

NRO Comptroller NR O Staff 

Col Allen 

PR.OGl~AN\ A 

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R/A ~lmlfi1iuor 

188 

70 

14** 

*Plus an approximate 1900 equivalent man years from supporting Air Force resources. 

,:o~Plus an additional 144 equivalent man years from supporting Air Force resources. 

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Figure 2 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE: 

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM 

October 10, 1969 

MEMORANDUM FOR COLONEL ALLEN 

See Dr. McLucas' comments on 

Bill Yost's buck slip. 

Dr. McLucas said he hadn't had 

a chance to discuss this with you and 

wants to be sure that your comments 

as well as Dr. McLucas' comments and 

thoughts get included. The one other 

area that may be a little thin in 

treatment is a discussion of the launch 

process and support. 

Co lone I, USAF 

Executive Assistant 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

MEMORANDUM 

October 9, 1969 

DR. McLUCAS 

We have retyped the memo for Mr. 

Packard in accordance with your corrections. 

It is attached for your signature . 

• YO 

Colonel, USAF 

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THE UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE 

September 26, 1969 

MEMORANDUM: FOR COLONEL ALLEN 

Please prepare for me a letter 

to Mr. Packard showing how our office 

is set up, how your office is organized, 

what Ed Sweeney does, how SP and OSP(?) 

operate and how many people are at each 

facility. Also how AF supports us at 

launch time. 

Please hold to three pages - more 

or less. 

John L. McLucas 

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