• -TOP-EGRETSPECIAL HAN DUNG

THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON AL D. C.

A/. LA...ay

ommIMIPIN

April II, 196Z

MEMORANDUM FOR MR McCONE

SUBJECT: SecDef DCI Agreement on NRO

Your April 9 draft of the subject agreement is

satisfactory to Joe Cheryl: and myself with the following

changes:

At the end of the Policy paragraph at the bottom

of page 1, insert the clause "and will be responsible

directly to them for the management and conduct of the

NRP".

In the first line of paragraph Za(1), insert after

"Executive Agent" the phrase "for DNRO".

At the end of paragraph 2a(3), change "NSA

responsibilities" to "the exploitation responsibilities

of the NSA".

In the second line of paragraph 4a, change "the

concurrence of" to "coordination with". The second

sentence of the same paragraph has also been reworded.

Paragraph 5 has been revised.

I enclose two copies of the agreement reflecting

these changes. If the changes are acceptable to you, we should

exchange signed copies of the agreement which, after approval

by the President, would then supersede the September 6. 1961

agreement.

(signed)

Roswell Gilpatric

TOP SECRET

SPECIAL HANDLING

C^rtrol

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1141111.842

u April 1963

Agreement Between 

Secretary at Dame and the Director of Central Williams,

an

Responsibilities of the Nalal Recommitment* Oftic.4330-

11110 - National Reconnaissime Office

NRP - National Reconnaissance Program, to consist of

all overt and covert satellite and overflight projects

for intelligences geodesy and mapping photography and

electronic signal collection.

DNRO - Director, National Recsanalusie Mice.

Policy:

The following plan outlines basic policy for the establhihmest

of functions and responsibilities within the National Recoonaismance

Office to insure that the particular talents, eaperience and capabUlUes

the Department of Defense and the Central intelligence Agency

re folly and most effectively utilised in the establishment, imageant and conduct of the National Reconnaissance Program. The DNNO

will be designated by the Secretary of Defense and the Director of

Control Intelligence, and will be responsible directly to them for the

management and conduct of the NRP. rter•t

a.

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Rendremeds and Priorities 

The 110 will be directly roptakelye to, sad ger to, the

levAegraPhic ad 'betroths signal (UDIT) collection requirements

and priorities established by the United Hates latelligage Heartland

will develop the over-all roccomdesence program to math* these

requiremests.

a. The technical meat reaperdbility ler all the

NRP Is alletteed to the MO. Under this over-all respoosibilily for

NRP, MO will utilise *dating resources is the following manner:

C1 will be the Szocativo Agent for IRMO for these

covert projects already under its summonsed and each additional covert

projects as are• assigned to it by the Secretary of Deism and the

Director of Central Intelligence.

To provide for full use of available capabilities

and resources, and to provide for interface with data mqrloitatbm

equipment development by memos (Maid* the $10, reprommtatives

of Army, Navy, Air Force, and CIA, will be assigned, is a toll-time

basis, to appropriate positions within the $10 under the MO.

(3) A firm Mass channel between the 1110 and the NSA

will be established as an adjunct to th technical sumagement stricture

of signal collection projects, and the conduct at etch projects carried

out in accordance with the exploitation nopoosibilities of the NSA.

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RM. MU
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SPELLAL HAN=

(4). Phonies will essompass madman utilisation of the

technical aid operational resources at the DOD, the Army, Navy, Air

Rave, NSA, sad the CIA to support all collection pregnant including,

but not limited to, electrosic signal end phatograpIde collection programs.

b. Financial Managemed:

(I) The DNRO will be respoosibht for funding the NIP.

DOD funds will be allocated on an individual project basis mad will

appear as appropriately classified line items in the Air Force budget.

CIA will be responsible for fandbg covert projects for which it has

management responsibility under paragraph 2. a. (1) above.

(2) DNRO will have responsibility for all NIP contracts

In accordance with the assipunent of technical management raipoosibility

in paragraph 2. a. Consistent with paragraph 2. a. (I), CIA will be the

EIxecutive Agent of the DNRO, responsible for administering procuranned

and contracting for covert projects for which it is aniseed responsibility

under paragraph 2. a. (I), and for covert contracting necessary for the

support of overt projects.

3. Security

In accordance with the basic responsibility of the Director

of Central Intelligence for protection of intelligence sources and methods,

CIA will establish security policy for the NIP, including provides for a

uniform system of security control sad appropriate ddeptions of

security responsibility.

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4. Operations

&hadaUsk The Inlaid= schedule for all NRP efforts

will be the sole responsibility of DNRO, msbject to coordinsUan with

CIA as covert projects for which it is Itzscutivie Agent sad the obtaining

of appropriate clearances where required from higher authority.

Operational control for individual projects under the NRP will be

assigned to the DOD or to the CIA by the DNRO is accordance with

policy guidance from the Secretary of Defense and the Director GI

Central kateUigence. DNRO will be resposodble to assure that Millitalk

planning will make fall one of all intelligence suitable in the commuaity.

Format: The DNRO wilt be respoosible for the format

of the collected NRP product as follows:

(I) Photographic format will include the initial chemical

processing, titling, production and delivery to the mere as specified

by the UM.

(2) Electronic signal data format will include the

decommutation, conversion, technical correction and reconstruction

of the collected signal data to yield a usable collection product. DNRO

will deliver the collection product in proper format together with

associated data necessary for eaploitation, to the NSA or other user as

specified by the UM.

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• SPECIAL Hate

a. .ftigLANIM: The IMO will be responsible for

engineering analysis of all collectios systems to correct the problems

that exist on the operating system as well as to provide information for

sew systems. In ommection with covert projects for which CIA is

Executive Agent, this responsibility will be carried out under the

supervision of CIA.

The DNRO Is responsible for advanced plans (post CY 11162)

for all NF!' projects, utilising represesbatves al the Army, Navy,

Mr Force and CIA who are assigned to the NRO on a full-time basis.

Public releases of information will be the ramoesibility of

the DNITO subject to the security guidance of CIA.

T. The Deputy Director (Research), CIA, will be responsible

for seeing that the participation of CIA in this Agreement is carried out.

John. A. )4cCone Roswell L. Glipatric

Director of Central Intelligence Deputy Secretary of Defense