DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN NRO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP33-02415A000400050054-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 15, 2003
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: November 29, 1961
• Content Type: MISC

Approved For Rele a 2003 /-'19 .- i IkbF 33-02415A000400050054-2
29 November 1961
DIVISION UP RESPO IBII.ITY WITHIN IRO
NRO and USAF
review(s)
completed.
. The National R onr iaeance Office was established by joint agreement
between the Dent of Defenso and Central Intelligence Agency through
the Mechanism of a covert combination of certain elemente within the Air
Force and within the CIA. Through this combination and by virt xe of the
authority granted to the } RO by the aforementioned agreement, this office
has thereby been given authority and responsibility over several ongoing
x econnaisaence programs. These programs are in different stages of devel-
opment and operation. They have in certain esoes been instituted, funded
and na ed, both technically and o ration .ly,~ and protected security-
vise In bow hat differing fa :Mona.
It is the view of the CIA that changes should be 3rtituted. in
z i z nt and, ?assigz nt of responsibility for p rogravz under NRO cog-
nize-nee on a carefully ccncidered and. proparly- timed basis. It is the
view also of the CIA that the vor1.ing relationships establi,tbcd within
the IIlO itself and the assi.g zrent of authority and responsibility between
the two parts of the office must re in sufficiently bred and flexible
so that new programs not now veil defined wi11 not. be forced into a
pattern of W-Hagen+::nt which would szko difficult the tec Ica l d ection,
funding, operation control or the aecu ity of truce progra s.
Finally, in the view of the CIA, the division within the IM on
funding and tochnic al direction should be that the Air Few assumes
primry responsibility for all such "white" activities, i.e. procurelerSts
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which are of extremely large scope or vhIch require competitive bidding,
or for other reason cannot be concealed from the norm Department of
Defense ccurity system; and that the CIA will assume isrri ry respcansi -
bility for the so-called "black' . procur nts, which for reasons t
security must be concealed from all persons not ledi eable of the
specific program involved.
Returning now to the onCoin5 projects mentioned previously, which
the National. PecoraAi.ssence Office will direct from bore on, the follo;ring
specific assi, is of pricey responsibility within the NPO are reaffirmed:
OXCA '.. The management, technical d..irectiou, operationa.1 control
and security of project MAIM viii remain as it has in the pumt und,r the
primary auspices of the CIA. The primary responsibility for the Air Force
Variants of OXCA will, a they have in the pmt, be the primp ory concern
.of the Air Force. In all matters of atual interest and specific .l,ly on
the maagement of interrelated. item such an the develc nt of air Crbsmte,
of er im es, and of mutual ccm eats, the project persotan i, will provide
crosefiow of Inforiation botwoen the Air Force r d CIA with particular
attention being even to decisions veer which rr have secondary ire .cts
from one pro xaa to another. The project officers within CiA for the
bwic OXCA '2 oyster and within the Air Farce for the Air Force rdaptations
will be the focal point for this infor Lion croasfiow.
CO. :s:A -UP-41;/Asst-. Over-all security aspects of this prc am will
continue as in the past within the framework of the agreed security system
under primary co; txance of CIA. Launch achedulinz and launching, orbital
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and recovery operations will reiein under primary cogo.itance of the
Air Force. Primary co& i eneo. for munagement and tech ical direction of
hardware aspects will remain within the Air Force for boosters, orbital
vehicles, I I and within CIA for photo-
graphic payloads and noseconea. At a suitable tine
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Cognizance should shift to CIA and standardized nosecone cognizance
should re nt to the Air Force when and if all revealing features can be
later incorporated in a secure area. The CIA will continue primary co 4-
zanco of operational planning and control of payload o ration and target
coverage. As above, the Air Force and CIA project of"f'iecrc 'will be focal
points for erosaflow of information within NRO.
. Security aspects of this victivity have been aligned with the
procedures of the agreed-to uniforu security system of LO. The desire-
bility of mutual use of certain gets for this project and CURONA/aTFAL/
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A.RCON, particularly in the areas of tart planning d operations, is NRO
being explored.
7 110 project officers, a3 such, are or viii be designated
within CIA f o r SPI activities. In this case the focal points for croaa
flow of infor.tiou w-111 be project officers within the Air Force and
functional staff officers for photcrapitic and ELINT pay 1 .s and for
satellite operations within CIA.
In addition to the projects ra? d above, certain other activities,
largely, of an LLI1 T nature, will, if cor tinned, fall under the co t nce
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of the National Reconnaieaanee Office. Thoas T projects are under
individual scrutiny in order to reach a decision as to desirability of
continuance and appropriate division of banegenent responsibility in Line
with the aeeig=ant of "black" and. "white" procurement and. technical
direction functions.
Project b ;ATI:1T t to the extent that this activity reins In beine;,
will continue in all aspects under prim ry cognizance of CIA. A ccaiforra
system of security control for all projec s falling, under IRO cognizance
bas been established. This system will dictate appropriate procedures
to be used by either Air Force or CIA security personnel and it in line
with policies eatabU tied for the security restrictions which au rrounet
hithiy sensitive activities of this nature. The Air Force t nd CIA. parts
of the l'3RO are being linked by eecure com= cation facilities for mutual
e x c l n a w g e o f Information relating to 1 activities.
le e- ('&S7 -1i)
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