DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN NRO

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
November 29, 1961
Content Type: 
MISC
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP33-02415A000400050054-2.pdf258.53 KB
Body: 
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 L-2-2735 Co 9-l.4iil Cow Approved For Release 2C0 0'9/~ O!A-FiDP33-02415A000400050054-2 Approved For Release 2003/0 2 t c 3 02415AOO04VO050054-2 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 GEC-x`#35 cc `ai48i Approved For Release 2003/09/(lA-RP ~Ki -02415A000400050 2 Approved For Relee 2003111 3-02415A000050054-2 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 25X1 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/ 25X1 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 Approved For. Release 2003109/29 C UX::-235 coo-148i _,y 33-02415A000400050054-2?i-i- Approved For Release 2003 ,A-P393-02415A000400050054-2 ~,~L XU 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) OXC-35 Copy _- Approved For Release 2QQ /09/29 : CIA-RDP33-02415A000400050054-2