LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM DIRECTOR W. E. COLBY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82B00871R000100170021-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 22
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2006
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: October 6, 1975
• Content Type: LETTER

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SECRET Enclosure
UStB/IRAC-D-?22. 1/45
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE 10 October 1975
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20505
The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
The Objectives I have outlined for US foreign intelligence during
Fiscal Year 1976 are a further extension of guidance given to the
Director of Central Intelligence in the Presidential memorandum of
5 November 1971 (and reconfirmed in your letter to me on 9 October
1974) concerning long-term goals for the Intelligence Community.
They are again cast into two groups.
The first group, termed "Substantive Intelligence Objectives,"
stresses and defines the output that I believe you would expect of the
Intelligence Community during the year on matters of priority concern
to US foreign policy deliberations. They are given greater specificity
in more than 70 Key Intelligence Questions developed by the Intelligence
Community in coordination with the National Security Council Intelligence
Committee (NSCIC). They constitute the driving force of our foreign
intelligence effort for this fiscal year.
The second group, termed "Resource Management Objectives,"
deals with the means for achieving substantive objectives for FY 1976
and my perceptions of what: intelligence must be able to achieve in
the longer term. They include specific milestones for achievement in
all categories of resource management that should be met during the
year and will serve as a base measure of community performance.
Results of performance will be provided to you in an annual report
at the close of the fiscal year. Resource Management Objectives are
designed not only as a means to achieve substantive goals, but also
to develop and strengthen continually the capabilities and management 25X1
efficiencies of our entire foreign intelligence apparatus.
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Both groups of Objectives reflect concerns that are amplified
separately in my "Perspectives for Intelligence 1976-1981" and my
recommendations for the National Foreign Intelligence Program---FY
1976.
I invite your attention to the following features of this year's
obj ectives:
a. The inclusion of Substantive Objective #4 focusing
on the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological
weapons. This can become a major problem in the
future, so I have selected it for special attention.
b. The inclusion of Resource Management Objective
#5 to focus on intelligence requirements mechanisms,
The present systems are quite complex and serve a
variety of different needs. To some extent, they appear
to have become so diverse as to be unnecessarily burden-
some. There is no simple panacea to this problem, but
I believe it important to focus our attention on it.
c. Resource Management Objective #6 on the inter-
action of national and departmental intelligence. Your
letter of 9 October 1974 specifically included "tactical
intelligence" in your charge to me with respect to overall
leadership of the Intelligence Community. In coordination
with the Secretary of Defense, we have endeavored to
size these activities and come to grips with the inter-
relationships, but find it a very complicated field. I
am thus asking for a comprehensive review of the overall
problem of national/tactical relationships, with the view
toward insuring that you are provided the best intelligence
from both national and tactical assets; and that our tactical
commands are provided the necessary intelligence support
from national assets. Technology is imposing certain
changes in this regard, and I know there is concern in
the combatant commands as to whether their needs relating
to battlefield surveillance and combat intelligence support
can be adequately served in a timely fashion by intelligence
resources under national control. This subject is well
worth careful study, and could perhaps result in a
redefinition of responsibilities with a better understanding
of the technological and organizational aspects of the
problem.
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Along with increased focus by all elements of the Community to
the achievement of near-term Objectives, broader initiatives continue
toward longer range improvement in the responsiveness of intelligence
to the nation's need and in the management of intelligence assets and
activities. Long-range community-wide plans for improving several of
our large collection systems and networks are under development.
Assessments of trends on the international scene are being extended
well into the future. New and better ways to conduct the business
of intelligence are being explored through a more extensive intelligence
research and development program. In my annual report to you
scheduled for October, I hope you will find our accomplishments
during Fiscal Year 1975 to be satisfying.
I submit herewith for your approval the Objectives of the Intelligence
Community for Fiscal Year 1976. I will welcome your approval, modifi-
cation, or discussion of these Objectives.
Respectfully,
6 October 1975
Attachment
Objectives for FY 1976
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USIB /IRAC -D - 22.1 /45
10 October 1975
DCI SUBSTANTIVE INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES FOR THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY - FY 1976
Provide reliable and timely foreign intelligence reports, assessments,
and estimates to the President and other elements of the US Government
involved in policy formulation, international negotiations, and major
operational decisions on the following priority topics:
OBJECTIVE NO. 1
Soviet policies, intentions, and capabilities for the execution
of political, security and economic programs, with particular
reference to:
- changes in Soviet leadership and the dynamics
of and factors affecting Soviet decision making;
- providing early warning of scientific and technical
advances which could significantly affect the US national
security or national welfare;
- major developments in Soviet military RDT&E of
weapons systems, deployment, and order of battle;
- Soviet compliance with the Strategic Arms
Limitation agreements, the Limited Test Ban Treaty,
possible Mutual Balanced Force Reduction agreements,
and the observance of cease-fire or peace treaty
arrangements; Soviet perception of US and Allied
negotiating positions and force capabilities with
respect to these issues;
- prospects for Soviet agricultural shortfalls
and early warning of Soviet entry into the inter-
national (particularly the US) market for food stuffs;
and
- Soviet extension of political influence and
military power outside of the USSR.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 2 .
Developments within and policies, intentions, decision-making processes,
and capabilities of the People's Republic of China in key political, military
and economic areas which impact on important interests of the United
States, its allies, the USSR, the rest of Asia and the more influential
underdeveloped countries.
OBJECTIVE NO. 3
Political and military developments and trends (including terrorism)
in potentially volatile international situations of strategic concern to the
US.
OBJECTIVE NO. 4
Policies, intentions and capabilities of foreign states other than
the USSR and the PRC, to develop nuclear weapons, chemical and
biological weapons, and delivery systems to employ them.
OBJECTIVE NO. 5
Major foreign economic developments and trends relevant to US
international policy decisions and negotiations, particularly those related
to energy, raw materials, food resources, and to international trade
and monetary arrangements.
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DCI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR FY 1976
OBJECTIVE NO. 1
Evaluate the performance of the Intelligence Community in meeting
the FY 75 substantive objectives and in response to the FY 75
Key Intelligence Questions; submit an Annual Report of the con-
clusions to the President through the National Security Council
Intelligence Committee for review and comment; present revised
substantive objectives and Key Intelligence Questions for FY 76
to the NSC (Intelligence Committee).
OBJECTIVE NO. 2
Review the programs of the Intelligence Community in the Intelligence
Resources Advisory Committee. Submit to the President, through the
Office of Management and Budget, independent recommendations for
the National Foreign Intelligence Program. Support the President's
intelligence budget before the Congress.
OBJECTIVE NO. 3
Provide leadership and guidance to the Intelligence Community, with
the advice and assistance of the United States Intelligence Board
and the Intelligence Resources Advisory Committee to include-
Long-term Planning Guidance
Substantive and Resource Management Objectives
Production of National Intelligence
National Plans for Signals Intelligence, Imagery
and Human Source Intelligence
Foreign Economic Intelligence Guidance
Crisis and Warning Intelligence
Protection of Intelligence Sources and Methods
Resource Implications of KIQ Strategy Report to IRAC
Annual Report on Foreign Intelligence to the President
OBJECTIVE NO. 4
Stimulate research, development, and application of techniques
to improve intelligence collection processing, analysis, production,
and presentation. Foster R&D cross-program technology sharing.
Q 1.7
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Establish alternative or parallel research and development programs
that hold promise to provide key intelligence in the event current
collection resources are rendered less effective due to unanticipated
technology advances by target nations.
OBJECTIVE NO. 5
Stimulate efforts to review and improve the Community's
substantive intelligence requirements mechanism. Utilize
the USIB/IRAC mechanisms to evaluate recommendations
and implement improvements.
OBJECTIVE NO. 6
Review and recommend improvements in the interaction
and mutual support between national and departmental/
command ("tactical") intelligence systems, encouraging
fully departmental/ command ("tactical") control and
exploitation of tactical systems.
OBJECTIVE NO. 7
Assist and respond to Presidential and Congressional
Committees involved in reviewing and investigating the
U.S. Foreign Intelligence Community,
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FY 1976
DCI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE NO. 1
Evaluate the performance of the Intelligence Community in meeting
the FY 75 substantive objectives and in response to the FY 75
Key Intelligence Questions; submit an Annual Report of the con-
clusions to the President through the National Security Council
Intelligence Committee for review and comment; present revised
substantive objectives and Key Intelligence Questions for FY 76
to the NSC (Intelligence Committee).
MILESTONES:
Date
Aug '75 Develop and Submit KIQs-FY 76 to the NSC (Intelligence
Committee) for Review.
Aug '75 DCI Issues FY 76 KIQs.
Aug-Sept '75 Prepare Individual Evaluation Reports on Community
FY 75 Performance:
FY 75 KIQ Evaluation Process (KEP) completed
providing substantive judgments of performance against
FY 75 KIQs, and insights into resource utilization.
Quality and completeness of finished intelligence
products evaluated in terms of national foreign
policy level user requirements.
Sept '75 Develop FY 76 KIQ Collection and Production Strategies.
Sept '75 FY 76 KIQ Collection and Production Strategies Review
by USIB.
Sept '75 Report results of FY 75 KIQ Evaluation Process (KEP).
Oct '75 Provide evaluation of performance in meeting sub-
stantive intelligence objectives in Annual Report to
the President.
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Oct-Nov '75 Include appropriate assessment data in the National
Foreign Intelligence Program Recommendation (NFIPR).
May-Jun '76 Issue Key Intelligence Questions for FY 77.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 2
Review the programs of the Intelligence Community in the Intelligence
Resources Advisory Committee. Submit to the President, through the
Office of Management and Budget, independent recommendations for
the National Foreign Intelligence Program. Support the President's
intelligence budget before the Congress.
MILESTONES:
Date
July 17 5 Program Manager Submissions
July '75 DCI Review - Consolidated Cryptologic Program/
Advanced Program Support/General Defense Intelligence
Program/Special Reconn Vehicles -- CCP/APS/GDIP/SRV.
July '75
July '75
DCI Review of CIA Program.
Consolidated Intelligence Resource Information System
(CIRIS) FY 75 Data Available for Program Review.
July '75 Issue Papers/Program Decision Memorandum (PDM)
to SecDef.
July '75 Issue Program Decision Memorandum (PDM).
July '75 IRAC Meeting.
Aug '75 Submit Program Decision Memorandum (PDM) Reclamas.
Aug '75 Issue Amended Program Decision Memorandums (PDM's).
Sept '75 DCI/ASD(I) Discussion--CIA Program and State
Department Budget Submissions.
Sept '75 Submit Budget Estimates--Services and Agencies
Estimates to DoD Comptroller.
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Oct '75
Oct '75
Oct '75
Nov '75 (early)
Nov '75
Dec '75
Dec '75
Jan '76
Feb '76
Feb '76
May-July 176
Mar '76
Mar '76
Apr '76
Apr '76
CIA Budget Estimate to OMB.
IRAC Meeting.
OSD/OMB Budget Reviews.
DCI Preliminary Recommendation on Major Issues.
DCI/ASD(I) Meeting - Discussion of General Defense
Intelligence Program and Consolidated Cryptologic
Program (GDIP/CCP) budgets.
DoD Issues Program Budget Decisions.
Program Managers Complete Program Budget Decisions
Reclamas, as appropriate.
IRAC Meeting - Review FY 77 Budget Decisions and
NFIPR draft.
DCI submits National Foreign Intelligence Program
Recommendation (NFIPR) to the President throught OMB.
Issue CIRIS FY 76 Data Call.
Issue Planning and Programming Guidance (SecDef).
Fiscal Guidance Policy--Intelligence Annex--ASD (I) .
FY 78 Program Development.
IRAC Meeting.
Issue FY 78 Program Call (CIA).
CIRIS FY 76 Data Submissions Due.
EXCOMs (if required).
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Apr '76 FY 77 Congressional Budget Presentations.
May '76 Submit FY 78 Program Objectives.
May '76 Program Review--ASD(I) and IC.
Jun '76 CIRIS Data Available for Program Review.
Jun '76 OMB FY 78 Fiscal Guidance.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 3
Provide leadership and guidance to the Intelligence Community, with
the advice and assistance of the United States Intelligence Board
and the Intelligence Resources Advisory Committee to include:
Long-term Planning Guidance
Substantive and Resource Management Objectives
Production of National Intelligence
National Plans for Signals Intelligence, Imagery
and Human Source Intelligence
Foreign Economic Intelligence Guidance
Crisis and Warning Intelligence
Protection of Intelligence Sources and Methods
Resource Implications of KIQ Strategy Report
to IRAC
Annual Report on Foreign Intelligence to the
President.
MILESTONES:
Long-term Planning Guidance
Oct 175 - Produce and disseminate the DCI's Perspectives for
Intelligence 1976-1981.
Jan '76 - Produce and disseminate the DCI's Perspectives for
Intelligence 1977-1982.
Objectives
Oct 175 - Produce and disseminate DCI Substantive and
Resource Management Objectives for FY 76.
Mar '76 - Produce and disseminate DCI Substantive and
Resource Management Objectives for FY 77.
Production of National Intelligence
July '75 - Report FY 75 Improvements in Intelligence Production.
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July '75-Jun'76 - Conduct a continuing substantive review of national
intelligence products; report findings and provide
production guidance in part through publication of
the Review of National Intelligence.
Jul'75-Jun'76 - Conduct post-mortems of the Community's
performance before and during international
crises or other international developments, as
appropriate.
National SIGINT Plan
June '75 - Director, NSA begin revision of NSP to reflect
current intelligence objectives and resource
decisions.
July '75 - SIGINT Committee provide updated statements
of SIGINT requirement for input to NSP.
Sept '75 - Services, departments, agencies and JCS
review draft revisions.
Nov '75 - USIB/IRAC review.
Nov '75 - Provide revised NSP for use in development of
cryptologic programs for FY 78-82 period.
National Imagery Plan for Satellites
July '75
Completion of studies (resolution and area
coverage requirements) serving as inputs to
the NIPS.
Feb '76 - Draft National Imagery Plan with a summary of
actions required by the NRP and the Intelligence
Community.
Mar '76 - Community review of draft.
Apr '76 - Presentation of National. Imagery Plan to USIB/IR.AC.
May '76 - Publication of National Imagery Plan.
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June '76 - Implementation of National Imagery Plan.
National HUMINT Plan
July '75 - Human Sources Committee approval of National
HUMINT Plan (concept-outline).
Aug '75
Mar '76
Mar '76
Tasking of departments and agencies.
USIB/IRAC review.
- Publish and implement National HUMINT Plan.
Mar '76 - Publish evaluation by the Economic Intelligence Committee
(EIC) of responses to collection guidance transmitted via
the Combined Economic Reporting Program (CERP).
Crisis and Warning Intelligence
Oct '75 - Deputy to the DCI for the Intelligence Community
(D/DCI/IC) provide first report to USIB on
performance of new strategic warning system.
Nov '75 - Report test-bed results of projec
toward providing the DCI with an instrumentality
to respond to warning and crisis situations on
the basis of the convergence of critical items
of intelligence from all agency sources,
Protection of Intelligence Sources and Methods
1975-1976 - Presentation to Congress of recommendations
for legislation to strengthen the protection
of intelligence sources and methods --following
completion of Select Committees activities.
Sept '75 - Report to DCI on status of development of
Community Computer-Assisted Compartmentation
Control System.
COi,YMINT
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Aug-Sept '75 - D/DCI/IC report recommendations to the DCI
and SecDef on the results of pilot study--national-
tactical relationships.
Oct 175 - Annual Report on Foreign Intelligence to President.
Oct '75 - Resource Implications of KIQ Strategy Report to IRAC.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 4
Stimulate research, development, and application of techniques to
improve intelligence collection processing, analysis, production, and
presentation. Foster R&D cross-program technology sharing. Establish
alternative or parallel research and development programs that hold
promise to provide key intelligence in the event current collection
resources are rendered less effective due to unanticipated technology
advances by target nations.
MILESTONES:
Date
Oct '75
Intelligence Research & Development Council (IRDC)
submit recommendations to USIB/IRAC on the following
key problem areas:
tactical and near-real time use of intelligence;
new initiatives in mass-memory technology
to reduce data handling and in the use of
computer terminals to improve analyst data
handling capabilities;
improve methods for information processing,
analysis, and presentation of intelligence
information to intelligence consumers;
IRAC considers recommendations for intelligence R&D.
Dec'75-Jun'76 Follow-up actions by IR&D Council based on USIB/IRAC
assessment of recommendations.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 5
Stimulate efforts to review and improve the Community's substantive
intelligence requirements mechanism. Utilize the USIB/IRAC mechanisms
to evaluate recommendations and implement improvements.
MILESTONES:
Date
COMIREX
July '75
July-Sept'75 - Complete problem-oriented revision of imagery collection/
exploitation requirements base.
Aug '75 -
Sept '75 - Develop with National Intelligence Officers (NIOs), KIQ
strategy statements for imagery collection/exploitation.
Human Sources Committee
July-Dec '75 -
July-Dec '75 - Review requirements/guidance systems--recommend
changes for improvement and simplification.
July-Dec '75 - Review mechanisms/ systems for tasking clandestine
collection for priority requirements.
July-Dec '75 - Develop improved communications methods between
production analysts and field reporters.
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Sept '75 - Develop with NIOs, KIQ strategy statements for human-
source collection.
July '75 - Complete new SIGINT requirements mechanism and
submit to USIB.
Sept '75 - Develop with NIOs, KIQ strategy statements for SIGINT
collection.
June '76 - Utilizing the new mechanism, review for validation all
SIGINT requirements.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 6
Review and recommend improvements in the interaction and
mutual support between national and departmental/command
("tactical") intelligence systems, encouraging full depart-
mental/command ("tactical") control and exploitation of
tactical systems.
MILESTONES:
Date
Sept-Oct '75 Complete Pilot Study on National Intelligence Support
to Field Commanders,
Sept-Oct '75 In coordination with the Secretary of Defense,
establish a mechanism for follow-on tactical-
national intelligence interface activity.
Oct-Nov '75 Identify areas for follow-on actions in tactical-
national relationships; begin studies.
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OBJECTIVE NO. 7
Assist and respond to Presidential and Congressional Committees
involved in reviewing and investigating the U.S. Foreign Intelligence
Community.
MILESTONES:
Date
July'75-Jun'76 DCI contributions to President's response to investigations/
recommendations.
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