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---1ROPHSECRET7

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR Fetter

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

MEMORANDUM

August 1, 1973

NOTE FOR DR. &LUCAS

At the right is an outline for your

use during your meeting with Mr. Colby on

Thursday, August 2. At Tab A is an

extract of some of the major provisions of

the four charters for the NRO. The charters

themselves are in the separate folder

attached.

At Tab B is a list of the Directors

of the NRO and their terms ift office.

FREDERICK L. HOMAN&

Lt Colonel, USAF

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TOP •SECRET

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HISTORICAL BACKDROP BRIEFING FOR MR. COLBY

I. Pre-1960 Era

covert 11-2 program - 1955 - CIA/Air Force

covert DISCOVERER satellite - 1958 - CIA/Air Force

overt SAMOS satellite - 1956 - Air Force

II. 1960 Events

- U-2 shot down creating national embarrassment

review of satellite efforts - first success of DISCOVERER

. (CORONA)

•

decision to consolidate effor

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organization

Dr. Joe Charyk named as manager of covert effort

CIA Program Office - Washington based

Air Force Program Office - Los Angeles based .

III. 1961-1963 - Charyk Era

CIA/DOD Agreements

NRO established - streamlined management directly by top

level

difficult relationships

AF Systems Command desires

- CIA stoves independently

Air Force submissive to DNRO desires

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Navy joins program with • SIGINT satellite

special security strengthened MillaSystem

national political/information policy - NSW 156 Committee

"fact of" policy

do not reveal scope of quality of program

do not provoke others

work for tacit agreements

work for disarmament

work for legitimizing space observation

IV. 1963-1965 - McMillan Era

;

original personalities change DOD/CIA

no management safety valve for disputes

national dependence grows on satellites

hardware at state of the art and matures

NRO autonomous within Pentagon/CIA still somewhat

independent

PFIAB proposes a new organizational arrangement

SecDef Executive Agent

ExCom with DepSecDef Chairman; DCI member; White House

Assistant member to make resource allocation decisions

DNRO to carry out management and to conduct and operate

program

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V. 1965-1969 - Flax Era •

period of stability under new arrangement

DDR5E desires strong role but overruled

new most sophisticated systems initiated - fewer but

higher quality flights planned

NASA begins earth observation plans - is constrained

in quality

NSAK 156 policy affirmed

CIA continues liberal approach to development - Air

Force continues conservative development philosophy

disarmament negotiations planned - no overriding

necessity for on-site inspection

budget bits high levels

VI. 1969-1973 - MbLucas Era

begins with stability - new systems reaching fruition

ambiguous parallel charters

ASD/I created - feels that control of resources is

his job

President's reorganization directive also establishes

resource controls -- and says NRO should stay the same

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NSA operational role under NSCID 6

budget tightening

ExCom drawing new advisors

irresistable urges to normalize NRO management and

operation in face of even higher national dependence

on program success - remiews, decompartmenting

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changes to ExCom -.ambiguity in roles anclparticipation

rapid changes in DOD/CIA hierarchy

• autonomy becoming eroded in management control

feeling by some that ExCom is ineffective

contractor arrangements losing necessary mystique

general letdown in exclusiveness might hurt success

need evident to become more visible to serve tactical

users

NASA may be too quickly moving ahead in earth resources

sensing role -- appearance of economic espionage without

national policy planning -

national dependence at highest level - satellites are

huge expense in face of budget reductions - satellites

in most cases are non-substitutable resources

TOP SECRET

there has not been proposed a better way to conduct the

NRP - erosion is occurring and it is harmful

VII. Observations for Future

past four and a half years have been technically very

successful and satisfying

the DNRO job is as difficult as ever before in management

.now is "second guessed" by self-appointed reviewers

technical "help" coming more frequently

"chain of command" not clean

security is a tough job - has held the line however -

getting more difficult all of the time

things that should be done soon

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management line should be•affirmed and tightened

aimed at restoring autonomy and streamline

all observation and collection from space should be

under single • management for non-civil activity

security should be tightened for project access

present produce access not done well - present system

is good but those who complain do not understand its

flexibility

I. C. resource decisions should have direct NRO

participation

NRO should guide satisfaction of tactical needs

NRO understands requirements and technical capability

of systems best can provide most objective optimization of collection operation

I. C. involvements in effectiveness and efficiency

should get focus off satellite collectors and onto

exploitation

9. Advisory role of DNRO (and p4NRo) to the DCI -- in his

community role -- should be recognized and established

now.

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--TOP-SECRET--

•

DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE

FROM • TO

Dr. Joseph V. Charyk

Dr. Brockway McMillan

Dr. Alexander Flax

Dr. John L. McLucas

September 6, 1961

March 1, 1963

October 1, 1965

March 17, 1969

March 1, 1963

October 1, 1965

March 17, 1969

Present
• —TOP-SECRET-- • Mar

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6 Sep 61 •

NRO under direction of the Under Secretary of the

Air Force and the Deputy Director (Plans) of the

CIA jointly.

NRO responsive solely to USIB for requirements and

priorities.

Under Secretary and DD(P) exercised direct content

over elements in their organizations

2 Mn 62 

Technical management for all NRP assigned to DNRO.

- CIA becomes Executive Agent for DNRO for CIA projects.

DNRO responsible for funding the NRP.

13 Mar 63,

- Secretary of Defense is Executive Agent for NRP.

- NRO separate operating agency.

DDNRO appointed by DCI.

-- Supervise CIA efforts under NRP.

- Chain of Command from Secretary of Defense directly

to DNRO.

11 Aug 65 

established ExCom.

DNRO sits with USIB for the matters affecting the NRP.

realignment of DDNRO role.

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