ASSIGNMENT OF STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUPPORT FOR DCI IN THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00508R000100050020-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 27, 2003
• Sequence Number: 20
• Content Type: REGULATION

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ASSIGNMENT OF STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUPPORT
FOR DCI IN THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE PROGRAM
1. On 13 August 1965 Mr. Vance and I concluded a new Agreement
to guide the conduct of our National Reconnaissance Program. It is
essential that all components of CIA understand and support this
Agreement. The first step in implementing this new program is to
fix clearly the responsibilities within CIA for implementing this
Agreement, and this directive makes clear the responsibilities of
various components.
2. The new NRO Agreement assigns the following specific
responsibilities to the DCI.
a. Establish the collection priorities and requirements for
the targeting of NRP operations and frequency of collection
coverage;
b. Review the results obtained by the NRP and recommend,
if appropriate, steps for improving such results;
c. Sit as a member of the Executive Committee;
d. Review and approve the NRP budget each year;
e. Provide security policy guidance to maintain a uniform
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system in the whole NRP area.
3. An NRP Executive Committee is established to guide the
NRO and participate in the formulation of the NRP. As a member
of this Committee, the DCI must participate in the following
functions prescribed for the Executive Committee:
a. Recommend to the Secretary of Defense an appropriate
level of effort for the NRP in response to reconnaissance re-
quirements provided by USIB and in the light of technical
capabilities and fiscal limitations.
b. Approve or modify the consolidated National Reconnaissance
Program and its budget.
c. Approve the allocation of responsibility and the correspond-
ing funds for research and exploratory development for new systems.
Funds shall be adequate to ensure that a vigorous research and
exploratory development effort is achieved and maintained by the
Department of Defense and CIA to design and construct new sensors
to meet intelligence requirements aimed at the acquisition of
intelligence data. This effort shall be carried out by both CIA and
DOD.
d. Approve the allocation of development responsibilities and
the corresponding funds for specific reconnaissance programs with
a view to ensuring that the development, testing and production of
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new systems is accomplished with maximum efficiency by the
component of the Government best equipped with facilities,
experience and technical competence to undertake the assign-
ment. It will also establish guidelines for collaboration
between departments and for mutual support where appropriate.
Assignment of responsibility for engineering development of
sensor subsystems will be made to either the CIA or DOD com-
ponents in accordance with the above criteria. The engineering
development of all other subsystems, including spacecraft,
reentry vehicles, boosters and booster interface subsystems
shall in general be assigned to an Air Force component, re-
cognizing however, that sensors, spacecraft and reentry vehicles
are integral components of a system, the development of which
must proceed on a fully coordinated basis, with a view to en-
suring optimum system development in support of intelligence
requirements for overhead reconnaissance. To optimize the
primary objective of systems development, design requirement
of the sensors will be given priority in their integration within
the spacecraft and reentry vehicles.
e. Assign operational responsibility for various types of
manned overflight missions to CIA or DOD subject to the con-
currence of the 303 Committee.
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f. Periodically review the essential features of the major
program elements of the NRP.
4. The NRO Agreement further specifies that "the National
Reconnaissance Program shall be responsive directly and solely
to the intelligence collection requirements and priorities establish-
ed by the United States Intelligence Board. Targeting requirements
and priorities and desired frequency of coverage of both satellite
and manned aircraft missions over denied areas shall continue to
be the responsibility of USIB, subject to the operational approval of
the 303 Committee. "
5. I shall look to the DD/S&T as the principal officer for the
National Reconnaissance Program. The DD/S&T will represent
the Agency in all policy considerations relating to the NRP, and
provide staff support to me in matters pertaining to the NRP both
as DCI and as a member of the Executive Committee. Specifically,
DD/S&T in this role will be responsible for providing staff support
to me bearing on:
a. Allocation of responsibility and funds for research and
exploratory development for new systems.
b. Allocation of development responsibilities and funds
for specific reconnaissance programs.
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c. Assignment of operational responsibilities for manned
overflight missions.
d. Periodic reviews of the NRP.
6. Because the level of effort established for the NRP and its
budget are a major element of the national intelligence program, I
will look to the D/DCI/NIPE and to DD/S&T for staff support in
these areas and will expect them to coordinate their recommendations
made to me.
7. COMOR will be responsible to USIB recommending collection
priorities and. requirements for the targeting of NRP operations and
the frequency of collection coverage desired. Their recommendations
will be transmitted directly to the NRO after approval by USIB, or in
accordance with authority delegated to COMOR by USIB.
8. The CIA Office of Security will be responsible for establish-
ing security policy for the NRP and for supporting the NRO as re-
quired. The Office of Security will continue to coordinate all NRO
security matters with the DD/S&T.
9. I shall continue to delegate my authority for approval of
security clearances involving the NRP to the DD/S&T.
10. The responsibility for identifying future collection needs
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will continue to rest with COMDR and USIB. However, I shall look
to DD/S&T for staff advice on the scientific and technical feasi-
bility of satisfying these needs so that timely decisions on research
and exploratory programs can be adopted in the Executive Committee.
11. The responsibility for determining how film and magnetic
tape reconnaissance records ought to be processed and reported is
not addressed in the present agreement. For the time being, I will
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expect DD/S&T to develop the CIA position on such matters in co-
ordination with the Chairman of COMOR and with the adVice of the
-DDI and NPIC.
12. There is a close and valuable interaction between NPIC
and NRO at all levels. However, because NPIC actions and positions
on reconnaissance are often represented as CIA or DCI positions, it
is essential that all substantive and policy exchanges between NPIC
and NRO be coordinated with DD/S&T.
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13. The DD/S&T will receive all correspondence bearing on
the NRP and will staff the preparation of appropriate answering
correspondence, in coordination with other components involved.
All initiatives or redirection efforts affecting the NRP will be co-
ordinated with the DD/S&T before presentation to me or outside the
Agency.
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W. F. Raborn
Director
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14. All the foregoing is concerned with the organization and
assignment of responsibility for staff support for the Director of
Central Intelligence in the National Reconnaissance Program.
15. The Central Intelligence Agency will continue as a major
participant in the activities of the National Reconnaissance Office.
To provide an arrangement similar to that for staff support to the
DCI in the NRP, it is essential that a single point of contact for
NRO programs be established within the Agency, and a Director
of CIA Reconnaissance Programs,
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to initially satisfy this need. He will report to the DD/S&T and
have over-all responsibility for all CIA programs supported by the
NRO as well as providing a single focal point of contact between
CIA and the NRO. Individual offices of the CIA in their day-to-day
relationship with the NRO will keep the Director of Reconnaissance
informed of pertinent activities and events occurring in their programs.
The Director of CIA Reconnaissance activities will, in turn, keep the
DCI, DDCI, and the DD/S&T informed of all NRO related CIA
activities.
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