WITHDRAWAL OF BUFFALO HUNTER DRONE PROGRAM FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R001300070006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 29, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: November 25, 1974
• Content Type: MF

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SECRET/l
THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
NSC review completed
25NOV1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: 40 Committee
SUBJECT . Withdrawal of BUFFALO HUNTER
Drone Program from Southeast Asia
JCS review completed.
1. The purpose of this memorandum is to advise you of
my recommendation to withdraw the BUFFALO HUNTER drone
program from Southeast Asia at the end of Fiscal Year 1975.
Background
2. In view of the reduced funds available to the Intel-
ligence Community, a continuing review of various programs
has been undertaken with the view toward eliminating costly
but non-essential programs. One such program was the
BUFFALO HUNTER photographic drone program currently
operating in Southeast Asia. The Defense Intelligence Agency
and the State Department desire to maintain the program
because they conclude that it continues to provide useful
tactical military intelligence and is of value as a signal of
US support to South Vietnam. In my judgment the BUFFALO
HUNTER program makes only a limited contribution to national
intelligence needs and its contribution to tactical intelligence
is no longer commensurate with the cost.
Recommendation
3. I recommend that as a step to reduce intelligence costs,
the BUFFALO HUNTER program be withdrawn from Southeast
Asia at the end of FY 1975 and placed in a contingency status
within the US.
DIA review(s)
completed.
cc: 40 Committee Members
1A11. W E. 4:G:ib
W. E. Colby
State Dept. review completed SECRET / T 25X1
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SUBJECT: Withdrawal of BUFFALO HUNTER Drone
Program from Southeast Asia
CONCUR:
2 2 NOV 1974
Deputy Director for Intelligence
k1 ss~
Original - Addressee- D V?
-- ----Dr:- iss-inger
1 - Mr. Clements
1 - Mr. Sisco
1 - General Brown
1 -DCI
1 - DDCI
1 -ER
(y~:"= DDI
1 - D/DCI/IC
1 - D/DCI/NIO (Mr. Carver)
1 - Director/OER
1 - Director / NPIC
1 - NIO/SEA
1 - CGAS/Recce
SECRET
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*W "// - ti.J// /'. _ .... ..
BUFFALO HUNTER
ISSUE: BUFFALO HUNTER's status for FY 76.
BACKGROUND:
A. The question is whether or not BUFFALO HUNTER can be brough
d FY 75
t e
n
back to the United States and put in contingency status a
B. BUFFALO HUNTER provides low-level photo-reconnaissance.
drone support for South Vietnamese forces and for monitoring the cease-
fire agreement.
C BUFFALO HUNTER haA been programmed to return to contingency
status in the United States in FY 74. It was continued in SE Asila.because
Dr. Kissinger directed that air assets not be reduced whi.I.e he was
negotiating the Vietnam cease fire. .
D. In keeping with JCS strategic planning, Dr. Hall's FY 76 program.
guidance for the SRVP directed that BUFFALO HUNTER continue as an
active mission in SE Asia. Because the Defense fiscal guidance level for
SRVP was again based on bringing BUFFALO HUNTER home, the FY 76
PDM approved about $4.4M and 257 people above fiscal guidance to keep
BUFFALO. HUNTER operational in SE Asia. Funds related to continuing
photo-drone reconnaissance in SE Asia in FY 76 are about $35.3M of the
$49.1M in the budget estimate for BUFFALO HUNTER .
E. The former President requested that he and his senior advisors
be kept informed on a timely basis on events in Vietnam, particularly
those relating to North Vietnamese compliance with the agreed settlement.
Tasks charged to the Intelligence Community, approved by the 40 Committee,
are:
- Monitor North Vietnamese compliance with the settlement
agreement.
- Monitor compliance by both sides with the cease fire
provisions
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- .- v A : ;S.. ;i
- Maintain a standby intelligence capability that can
be immediately activated to provide intelligence support for
any US military activity in Indochina that the President may
direct.
- Provide support to South Vietnam and to the US
Ambassador, Phnom Penh, on tactical and logistical
information.
F. We asked the NIO for Southeast Asia to assess what the impact on
the intelligence product would be if the drones were brought home and
put in contingency status. His answer, attached to this paper, was
essentially:
--The loss of BUFFALO HUNTER would not be critical
for subjects within CIA's areas of responsibility so long as
SIGINT, high altitude photography and HUMINT continue at
present levels.
- The military intelligence agencies. rely on BUFFALO
HUNTER as a primary source for intelligence support to South
Vietnamese forces. Its discontinuation woul~ be a serious loss
for contingency targeting, surveillance of, ommunist rear areas
i
f
ve.
ens
in SVN and warning of a,,C`ommunist general of
INR believes that withdrawal of BUFFALO HUNTER
- State
would be a political signal that the US was cutting back military
support to SVN; that, barring a change in US policy, it should
stay in SE Asia.
PROBLEM AREAS:
does Defense have to have BUFFALO
A. For unilateral US intelligence,
HUNTER photography, or can essential needs be met by other sources that
provide coverage less often or in less detail?
B. What is US policy regarding US intelligence support to South
Vietnamese forces?
C. Can we adequately support South Vietnamese forces if BUFFALO
HUNTER is returned to contingency status in the US?
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VIEWS OF MAJOR PARTICIPANTS:
ASD(I) Staff - Believes that if the NFIP has to get down to a
level, putting BUFFALO HUNTER in contingency status in the United
States may be an acceptable way to cut from the budget.
CIA - Believes that unilateral US national level intelligence needs
can be satisfied without BUFFALO HUNTER in. SE Asia.
State Believes BUFFALO HUNTER should stay in SE Asi& for
political reasons
DIA - Believes that if current US policy toward SVN is to be
continued, BUFFALO HUNTER should remainoperational in. SE Asis
that, in any event, no decision to withdraw BUFFALO HUNTER should
be made until the current dry season ends and the results of this
season's fighting and the then-existing US policy can be 'Considered.
IC STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
A. The only intelligence question is whether DoD consumers can be
satisfied if BUFFALO HUNTER is brought home and put in contingency
status. You should defer to Defense this question.
B. If Defense cannot support retaining BUFFALO HUNTER in SE
Asia for its own requirements, we suggest you discuss with Dr. Hall
whether the question of US policy regarding support to South Vietnam.
should be raised at the NSC level.
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