REVISION OF NRO AGREEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96B01172R000400030008-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 19, 2003
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 10, 1974
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDUM FOR : Leslie C.Dirks OD&EjDDS&T
CGAS/DDI
SSO iOS DDA
COMIRE-X
IGINT Committee
Revision of NRO Agreement
NRO and OSD'
1Y Reference is the meeting we are to have at 0930 Tuesday,
November, in my office (7E19 Hq) to consider proposed changes to the
draft revision of the NRO Agreement which the D/NRO submitted to the
DCI.
2. Attached are two papers:
,00 FI,
A revision of the D/NRO paper-which reflects the comments
each of you provided me plus a few of my own. (Don't quibble about the
quality of the typing --it is my own.)
. A proposal from the DDI representative which would
substantially rewrite the proposed NRO agreement, picking up part of
the structure and some of the more simply stated: points of the 1965
agreement. The T1DI also prpposes that the agreement be stated as a DCID
and written intk that format. I personally do not consider this is a
proper subject for a DCID but that can be discussed at the Tuesday
meeting.
3. I would appreciate. it if you each would review'the attached papers
prior to the Tuesday session: The order of business will be to consider
first whether to (1) use the revised paper from the NRO or the DDI
proposed-paper as the basis for our discussion, and then (2) proceed to
approve/develop the wording of the paper which is to be submitted to the
DCI for his consideration.
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A~._ EMENT FOR THE CONDUCT
OF THE
NATIONAL RECONNPIS:'ANCE PROGRAM
l.'AWk Pursuant to the provisions of the National Security COUfc it 10
Intelligence Directive, a National Reconnaissance Program (NRP) is hereby
eetablished for the conduct of reconnaissance in space by means of satellite
vehicles.
a. The functions of the NRP will include. the development management,
am* control and operation of all projects, both current and long range, for
the collection of intelligence information by spacefraft. Included are all
image forming sensors of reconnaissance quality, non-image forming sensors
designed for reconnaissance purposes and signal and electronic devices.
b. The N]RP will involve the aggressive development and pursual
of advanced technology for the collection of intelligence information by
spacecraft which is fully responsive to the Intelligence needs and
objectives of the United States.
c. Plthough satellite reconnaissance as used herein encompasses
the operation of spacecraft for the primary purpose of collectnational
intelligence information, the collection systems involved will, in addition.
to their primary missions, also support the intelligence information
requirements of operational military commands to the extent such is feasible.
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2. In order to optimize efficiency and cost effectiveness cnd to
maintain necessary protective security,satellite reconnaisance activities
will be conducted under single and direct management. The National
Reconnaissance Program will be organized, funded, developed and operated
by the Secretary of Defense as Executive Agent of the Government.
3. 1 National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) will be administratively
establhished within the Department of Defense. It will provide the
necessary streamline management to
permit a#ccomplishment of an effective
satellite reconnaissance program and will-* serve as the source of expertise
in facilitiating development of requirements for satellite reconnaissance
systems. It will be designated as a highly classified separate operating
agency and will met-be-eabeel;e~-s-eal-review-e-a~reeg~it establish
independent fiscal control and accounting procedures which insure that all
funds expended in support of the NRP are fully accounted for and appropriately
utilized by the agencies concerned.
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4. The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office will be appointed
by the Secretary of Defense in-eeneRita tien-with with the concurrence of
the Director of Central Intelligence. To insure the optimul common use of
space support resources, the Director, NRO will normally serve qL~s the
he Director,`NRO)
full-time Under Secretary of the Air Force` !-- will: --//
a. /eeRFe-that Keep the Director of Central Intelligence, the
/ssistant Secretary of Defense fier(intelligence)"and other officials having
related responsibilities and interests appropriately informed of satellite
reconnaissance activities.
Insure
b.j~esare that reconnaissance satellite operations respond to the
intelligence collection requirements ?ep-natienai-intelligenee issued by the
Director of Central Intelligence with the advice of the United States Intellige
Board.
c. Insure AesRFe that SIGINT satellite development,control and
operation are compatible with the SIGINT g3Feeessixg responsibilities of the
Director, National Security Agency, and that on-orbit activities are compatibl
with ether national directives and-established-egan3satieeal-+elatiensl~ipe.
mechanisms
d. feeu e Develop the necessary coordination/which will assure that
satellite system development includes development of the tasking,
processing and training components so as to be compatible with the
requirements,responsibilities and relationships of the using agencies.
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 MANAGEMENT 86J
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The-Seeretar-Betenee-is-espensible-te-t nited-States-Gevexent
tee-the-e eeatien-e?-t1qe-NRP-and-the-maintenanee-ef-the-NR9
5. The Director of Central Intelligence, in consultation with thiexY ke
the United States Intelligence Board, is responsible te-the-United-States-
Gevernment for prepeF establishment of collection priorities and requirements
to be satisfied through natinnal.satellite reconnaissance for reviewing
the results obtained by the NRP., and for the balancing of the level
of satellite collection and exploitation in order to optimize intelligence
output. He will also provide security policy guidance to maintain a uniform
system within the NRP.
6. The NRP Executive Committee, consisting of the Director of Central
Intelligence,as chairman, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Intelligent.)
and such additional members as may be agreed upon by the Secretary of Defense
and the Director of Central Intelligence with the advice-of the National
Security Council, will rovide direction and resource application decisions
to guide the NRP and to tealate3gaidae-and_app~eve_eeearee-alleeatiexe and
assure the proper balancing of projects within the program.
7. The Director, NRO, will be administratively responsible to the
Secretary of Defense for the execution of the National Reconnaissance
Program and he will have the required authority to act for the Secretary in
the discharge of this responsibility. He will be responsible i2espeRsive
t
o the-gnldanee-et' the Execu
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He will manage assignments within the
program, project reviews and studies associated with satellite reconnaissance.
initiate, approve and direct research and development in the pursuance
o advanced technology for satellite reconnaissance. He will sit with the
United States Intelligence Board and other councils as necessary.
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8. The Natio._ Reconrnaissmance Office will anned by the three
military departments, the Central Intelligence Agency and the National
Security Agency. The selection of personnel from these organizations
ageeeies will be made by the Director NRO, in consultat9on with the
heads of the nominating organizations. The principal staff security
advisor to the b*M Director, NRO, will be provided by the CIA.
The NRO Staff will have sufficient manning to provide primary support
to the NRP Executive Committee principals through the Director, NRO.
There will be'three program offices, one from the Air Force, one from
CIA and one from the Navy. The program offices will be responsive
directly to the Director, NRO for satellite developmento Operational
activities and projects will be assigned by the Director NRO to the
program officies in accordance with their capabilities.
9. The Director,NRO will furnish necessary budget and program data
to the Executive Committee, the Secretary of Defense, the Congress, and
other appropriate Government officials. He will maintain a dedicated
comptroller staff to manage to dollar resources allocated to the
Secretary of Defense Director of Central Intelligence
OFFICIAL: ?ssistant to the President
for National Security Affairs
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Comments on Proposed NRO Agreement
WORKING PAPER
We have reviewed the draft agreement in the context of the
section in the Omnibus NSCID dealing with National Reconnaissance
Activities and the NRO Agreement of 11 August 1965.
As a minimum we believe the following changes should be made:
The DCI should be named as Chairman
of the EXCOM.
The NRP will be responsive to the
requirements, guidance and tasking
priorities established by the Director
of Central Intelligence, taking into
account the intelligence needs of U. S,
operating military commands.
(This change would parallel the intent
of the Omnibus NSCID as to who is in
charge of U. S. intelligence requirements.)
We would prefer that the agreement be stated as a DCID
and written in that format. Within DOD the argument is
advanced that an agreement is required rather than an intel-
ligence directive (DCID) because responsibility for this ac-
tivity lies with the Secretary of Defense. Following this logic,
the Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central Intelligence
should have an agreement covering NSA since the Secretary of
Defense has a similar executive responsibility for NSA. The
reason for an agreement rather than a directive is essentially
a. political choice rather than one dictated by existing legislation.
We believe the Director and Secretary of Defense should be given
their choice of what forum should be used to express these intel-
ligence responsibilities.
In the event that the Director does not prefer the format
of a DCID, we believe that the present NRO draft agreement
should be substantially rewritten. Part of the structure and
some of the more simply stated points of the 1965 Agreement
should be followed. Attached is a skeleton of a draft agreement
as it might be prepared. Refinements for this could be provided
at next Tuesday's meeting.
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 Apprav
Attachment to DDI Rep.
Comments
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The National Security Council has authorized and directed
that the Secretary of Defense and the Director of Central
Intelligence shall be responsible, jointly and cooperatively, for
management of the National Space Reconnaissance Program
(NSRP). The Council has further authorized and directed that
the purpose of this Program shall be to collect foreign
intelligence information for use in the formulation and implementa-
tion of U. S. foreign policy and in support of U. S. military forces.
The NSRP:
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encompasses all activities and projects
associated with the research, development,
design, procurement, and operation of
image-forming and non-image forming
sensors for the collection of foreign intel-
ligence information from space;
shall be responsive to requirements,
guidance, and priorities established by the
Director of Central Intelligence for the
collection of foreign intelligence information
from space.
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A. The Secretary of Defense will:
1. be responsible for the overall execution of the National
Space Reconnaissance Program (NSRP);
2. establish administratively within the Department of
Defense a National Space Reconnaissance Office (NSRO);
3. appoint the Director of the NSRO in consultation with
the Director of Central Intelligence;
4. establish the Director, NSRO, as the full time Under-
secretary of the Air Force.
B. The Director of Central Intelligence will:
1. provide the NSRP with the intelligence guidance, collection
priorities and tasking priorities;
2. review the results obtained by the NSRP;
3. review and approve the NSRP budget each year;
4. provide security policy guidance to maintain a uniform
security system in the operation of the NSRP.
C. The National Space Reconnaissance Program Executive
Committee (EXCOM) will:
1. consist of the Secretary of Defense or his designate
and the Director of Central Intelligence and such additional
members as may be directed by the National Security Council
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or as agreed between the Secretary of Defense and the Director
of Central Intelligence.
2. be responsible for the formulation, direction, and
approval of resource allocations in the NSRP and will assure the
proper balancing of projects within the program;
3. be chaired by the Director of Central Intelligence.
D. The Director of the National Space Reconnaissance
Office (NSRO) will:
1. be responsible for the management of the NSRO and
execution of the NSRP subject to direction and control of the Secretary
of Defense and the guidance of EXCOM;
2. manage assignments within the program, project reviews
and studies associated with satellite reconnaissance;
3. initiate, approve and direct research and development in
the pursuance of advanced technology for satellite reconnaissance;
4. assure that SIGINT satellite development, control and
operation are compatible with the SIGINT processing responsibility
of the Director, National Security Agency and that on-orbit activities
are compatible with other national directives and established or-
ganizational relationships;
5. assure that satellite system development includes de-
velopment of the tasking, processing and training components so as
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to be compatible with the requirements responsibilities and re-
lationships of the using agencies;
6. sit with the United States Intelligence Board and other
councils as necessary;
7. maintain and provide to members of the EXCOM records
of the status of all projects, programs and activities of the NSRP
in the research development, production and/or operational phases.
8. prepare a comprehensive budget for all aspects of the
National Reconnaissance Program;
9. establish a fiscal control and accounting procedure to
ensure that all funds expended in support of the National Space
Reconnaissance Program are fully accounted for and appropriately
used by the agencies concerned. In particular, the budget shall
show separately those funds to be applied to research and
exploratory design development, systems development, procure-
ment, and operational activities. Funds expended or obligated
under the authority of the Director of Central Intelligence under
Public Law 110 shall be administered and accounted for by CIA
and will be reported to DNRO in accordance with agreed-upon
procedures.
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3. establish three program offices, one from the Air Force,
one from the CIA, and one from the Navy. These program offices
will be responsive directly to the Director, NSRO, for satellite
development and operational activities and will be assigned projects
in accordance with their capabilities.
by the Director, NSRO; /
2. arrange for sufficient manning of the NSRO staff in
order to provide primary support to the EXCOM principals
through the Director, NSRO;
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E. The National Space Reconnaissance Office (NSRO) will:
1. be manned by the three military departments, CIA and
NSA. Selection of personnel from these agencies will be made
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