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01016‘ler S)ItilATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

WASHINGTON. D.C:

THE NRO STAFF

11 1111 1110

MEMORANDUM FOR MR. PLUMMER

SUBJECT: Relocation of the Photo R&D Function of the Air Force

Special Projects Production Facility (AFSPPF)

The closure of AFSPPF and the relocation of its tasks

are proceeding on schedule. There remaini two items to be

closed out which will complete the decision-making process

and allow final programming. First is the final decision

on the location of the Photo R&D function and second is the

reply to General Keegan's (AF/IN) letter of 15 July 1974

(Atch 1) which suggests that all of the functions of the

AFSPPF be integrated at SAC in Omaha, Nebraska. General Kulpa

addressed both of these items in his 25 July 1974 memo to

you (Atch 2) 1:ithich he indicated that .the Evaluation function

had received approval from all participants to be relocated

at the NPIC and that commitments and planning had already been

accomplished. In the same memo he provided you information as

to the progress made in reaching an agreement for the Photo R&D,

but that he felt it was too premature to make a decision until

he and General Bradburn had an opportunity to fully analyze

the problem.

In your memo to General Kulpa on 26 July 1974.(4tch 3),

you agreed with the relocation of the Evaluation function to

the NPIC and also indicated that you desired that both

General Kulpa and General Bradburn include in their analysis

the option of placing the Photo R&D function at Omaha.

Numerous discussions betWeen the SAFSS/SP staffs.have

taken place along with discussions with OD&E people.- A

portion of the success and fulfillment of the tasks undertaken

at AFSPPF has been in cooperation with the Evaluation function/

utilizing their instrumentation and skilled technicians.
-111P-SECIET--

Also the QC lab which provides all QC/QA functions for R&D

is available. With the separation of functions, this type

of support creates an atmosphere which requires more support

in the form of duplicate equipment and the necessity to have

additional manpower to provide the desired results. This

type analysis was accomplished with the basic thought and

goal to resolve the situation in a manner which is most

beneficial to the NRP as well as being the most cost effective.

Both General Bradburn and General Kulpa agreed that the

most advantageous placement would be in the Washington, D.C.

area to be melded with the Program B Imagery Technology Division.

This has the advantage of placing both the photo and exploitation

R&D efforts together which best serves the NRP as well as

utilizing common facilities and equipment.

The proviso remains that if a specific photo R&D task is

best served by placing it with the program manager in Los

Angeles, that this should be done. The overall direction

will be from the NRO Configuration Change Board (CCB) which

has three members representing SAP/SS, SAFSP and OD&E. In

this manner the most cost effective and program satisfaction

criteria can be applied to the specific task being undertaken.

The message on the right sets forth a common ground of

understanding to create both a home and direction for the

photo R&D function. I want to make clear that General Kulpa,

General Bradburn and Mr. Les Dirks have all seen this message

and that all three have agreed to its contents.

Request you release the message on the right as well as

the letter to General Keegan informing him of the placement

of both the Evaluation and Photo R&D functions of the AFSPPF.

11111111011111111111 Colonel, USAF

Director

3 Atch

Gen Keegan Ltr

Gen Kulpa Memo

3. Mr. Plummer Memo

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