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BYEMAN 

COl'itTROt. SYSTEM 

J8'( NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF October 8, 1969 

Hil.NDLE V!A 

MEMORANDUM FOR MR. McGOUGH 

SUBJECT: NRO Organization 

Pursuant to our discussions on October 1 with you and Mr. ~-~ 

~-~ 

, I have attached a paper which I believe satisfies your requirement. 

As we suggested in our discussion, you may want~---~ 

to hear a more detailed briefing on the functions of our SOC so 

that he might understand more clearly the requirements process 

and our activity in satisfying the stated requirements. This 

would be similar to that briefing we presented on October 1 to 

~----~' s group. We can arrange such a briefing on your 

request. 

Attachment 

r V\ 

WILLIAM R. 

Colonel, USAF 

Deputy Director for 

Plans and Policy 

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The NRP is a single, national program which comprises the 

development, management and operation of satellites, aircraft 

and drones for photographic and electronic overhead reconnaissance 

of denied areas of the world. The Secretary of Defense, as executive 

agent for the NRP, makes all program decisions consistent with the 

needs expressed by the intelligence community. The NRP is guided 

by an Executive Committee of three members (the Deputy Secretary 

of Defense, its chairman; the Director of Central Intelligence, and 

the President Is Science Advisor.) The Executive Committee actively 

participates in the formulation of the NRP through the Director, 

National Reconnaissance Office. The DNRO, subject only to the 

direction and control of the Secretary of Defense and the guidance of 

the Executive Committee, is singularly responsible for the management, and conduct of the entire Program. The National Reconnaissance 

Office is a separate operating agency of the DOD. The NRO is 

especially structured for single line, direct management and embodies 

resources of both the DOD and the CIA. There are four major 

program offices in the NRO, each managed by an individual who reports directly and solely to the DNRO, and who is responsible for all 

phases of assigned NRP efforts. 

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The scope and content of the NRP are continuously reviewed by 

the Executive Committee. Major program efforts are subjected to 

thorough technical review by a Special Panel on NRP Matters which 

reports to the President's Science Advisor (as a member of the 

Executive Committee); the management of the program, its operational 

effectiveness, and the quality of its product are continuously reviewed 

by the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, which reports directly to 

the President. The NRO conducts internally, on a continuing basis, 

numerous studies and analyses of special subject areas. These include 

such topics as the impact of new requirements, system concepts and 

tradeoffs, and the potential of new or advanced technology. 

The people involved in the conduct of the NRP are selectively 

assigned and generally have had previous experience in one or more 

of the elements of the NRP. The military personnel assigned to (or 

in direct support of) the NRO are on longer term stabilized tours of 

duty to reduce any disruptive effect of personnel changes and to enhance 

the effectiveness of their contribution to the Program. 

The NRP is a separately funded activity within the DOD. NRP 

financial and budget program review cycles are dynamic and responsive 

to essential program changes. NRO Program Directors submit their 

financial program estimates annually in May. This timing is normally 

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one to two months behind that of other DOD agencies, but it provides 

the DNRO the latest and most accurate financial program data. The 

NRO is geared to respond quickly with detailed examinations of the 

data, and the issuance by the DNRO of detailed initial funding approvals 

to the Program Directors. Throughout the year, specific issues on 

program options, tradeoffs, cost options and the like are presented to 

the Executive Committee for decision. These issues are also identified 

for the Executive Committee in its review of the NRP financial program 

in August of each year. 

Budget estimates are also submitted by the NRO Program Directors 

in May. These estimates are used in the consideration of the financial 

program. The detailed NRO budget review is not begun until the 

financial program is established and program options are selected. 

The DNRO budget review cycle continues through October. Detailed 

OSD and BOB examinations are also accomplished during this review 

cycle. In November of each.• year the DNRO presents the budget to the 

Executive Committee for its review and approval. 

The NRP is responsive solely to the intelligence collection requirements and priorities established by the USIE. The NRO is an 

active participant in the formulation of requirements. The product 

of NRP systems is provided directly to the national agencies responsible 

for interpretation and exploitation. 

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As an example of the very clear lines of authority and responsibility 

inherent in the NRO organization, the management, control and operation 

of an active photographic collection system are described in limited 

detail in the paragraphs which follow. The requirements for a particular 

mission are developed by a USIE committee, the Committee on Imagery 

Requirements and Exploitation (COMIREX). The specific targets requiring coverage, and their relative priorities, are forwarded directly 

to the NRO Satellite Operations Center by the Imagery Collection Requirements Subcommittee of the COMIREX. The USIE specific collection 

requirements and priorities are then translated by the NRO into a 

targeting format against which a particular mission vehicle is operated. 

From this point on, until the processed film is delivered to the NPIC 

for interpretation, every element and individual involved in the conduct 

of the project are under the direct command and control of the Program 

Director who, in turn, reports directly to the DNRO. There is no 

ambiguity of project or program authority or responsibility, nor confusion in functional arrangements for the conduct of an.:operation. The 

Program Director has command and control authority over all elements 

involved in the project (e.g., the launch base force at Vandenberg AFB, 

the AF world-wide satellite control network, the data re-entry vehicle 

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recovery force, and the film processing facilities. The Program 

Director is responsible to the DNRO; there is no division of management responsibility or added levels of approval and decision authority. 

The degree of success of an individual mission or overall project 

is determined then by the same USIB committee which stated the 

requirements. Evaluations are accomplished through a "closed loop" 

feedback of information on requirements, collection, and exploitation. 

The only measure of true worth of NRO activities is the degree to 

which stated USIB requirements have been satisfied. 

If, for any reason, an NRP mission does not satisfy stated requirements, the DNRO is immediately informed through this same 

feedback process and corrective measures are instituted. In these 

situations, as in normal program conduct, lines of responsibility are 

clear. The Program Director is held accountable for system performance in satisfying stated requirements. His performance is judged 

on this basis. Likewise, his contractors, who are heavily incentivized 

on successful on-orbit performance, are graded in these terms and 

are, in fact, penalized financially for failures. 

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