DEAR GENE:

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP33-02415A000400060015-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 15, 2001
• Sequence Number: 15
• Content Type: LETTER

HINDU ViA M.)'ISTL171 ONLY
Approv or Relea e b 7f?8/26 : CIA-RDP33 15A000400060015-4
DRAFT
MSC:blp (14 August)
The Honorable Eugene 0. F'ubini
Deputy Director of Defense loaearch & Engineering
Department of Defense
Washington 25, D. C.
Dear Gone:
This responds to your memorandum of 8 Jusly, Subject:
JCS, NRO Relations, which forwarded for comment a drafty proposed
agreement between D/NRO and JCS4JRC prepared by Dr. McMillan,
and you as a shortened version of an agreement previously submitted
to Mr. McCone by Mr. Gilpatr1c:
I have spent much time reviewing the new, shortened version:
of the proposed agreement, especially in the light of Mr. McCono'a
letter of 11 June to Mr. McNamara. It hile it is a shortened version
of the agreement, it does not address itself to the major points of
difference that Mr. McCone so clearly covered in his latter of 11 June.
I would be less than frank with you if I did not state that I am at a
complete loss to understand just what the, purpose of this proposod
agreement is and just what benefits will derive from it, especially in
the furtherance of a program for the collection of intelligence
Information.
I should point out that the Director of Central Intelligence,
through the Central Intelligence Agency, has established &nd maintained
NRgRO
I/ P- 9 1/- 6 3 25X1A
Approved For Release 2001/08/26 : - -4
 Approved For Release 2d0' /L3W6ma IA-RDP33-02 040,Q96O?15-4
~vrraa_ l~~'sti Y~~1S~SI~, ~ 25X1A
for almost ten years an Air Operations Center under which all covert
overhead reconnaissance flights are planned and executed. 'T'his
25X1X4
Air Operations Center Is In existence and continues to operate success-
1 can see no valid reason for combining under a single entity
the operational control of I` RO denied territory over lghts and DOD (JRC)
peripheral mission flights. If this is desired. with a view toward
coordinating such activities, it appears unuacossary since there are
already in existence procedures and well-defined understandings between
the NRO (CIA operations element) and the JRC under'which the JCS is
25X1A
Approved For Release 2001/08/26 : CIA-RDP33-02415A000400060015-4
 Approved For Release 20( 17(X812G~ CIA-RNW-UMAb 6iob15-4
~~Y:.ta ~ i ieA
kept fully aware of NRO overflight activities on a very current basis.
If the problem here is one of higher-level policy, then the coordination
is affected at the Special Group (5412) meetings and I would. strongly
support a move on the part of the Dopartuxent of Defense to have a
JCS representative available at such meetings when denied area
overflights are discussed.
I am sure you realize that existing relationships between CIA
operational elements, acting in behalf of the NRO, and the United States'-
Air 'r r cea are close and totally adequate. If the J'm.C were to be
injected into this relationship, it would appear to a to complicate
and encumber what are now quite workable methods for technical and
operational coordination and technical and planning support for denied
area overflights.
I agree that daring periods of war, or at Imminence of
hostilities, or in theaters of active, military operations, or in periods
of high tension, it would be appropriate for higher authority (and I
would consider higher authority to be either a Presidential directive
or mutual agreement between the Director of Central Intelligence and
the Secretary of Defense) to authorize overt, military overflights of
denied areas ..- in such a case, this would be clearly a military
NRO
Approved For Release 2001/08/26 : CIA-RDP33-02415A000400060015-4
 Approved For Release 2001/,0.812. A-R Q400060015-4
1 25X1A
4 4
responsibility and should be assumed by the JCS in areas so designated.
4
In this connection, there is already an Emergency War Plans Operations
Order to which CIA and SAC have agreed_ which facilitates such action.
During the Cuban crisis such a transfer was effected smoothly and
expeditiously, as you know.
The initial proposal for an NRO/,TCS Agreement was generated
sometime back in April and has been through a number of revisions at
the working level as well as several at the policy level. We seem
be no closer to an agreement than we were at the beginning, and I think
primarily because we do not have a meeting of the minds as to
,bus t ,%what the purpose of the agreement is, i. e. ,, what is it to ace ,mplish
that is not now being accomplished in a perfectly adequate and entirely
satisfactory manner, what errors of omission or c ission to it designed
to correct, what transfer or realil;nment of responsibilities is it designed
to effect, and basically what is being done that should not be done and
what is not being done that should be done?
In the belief, then, that it may be desirable from, the standpoint
of the i epa rtmant of Defense to have the NRO execute, -supervise,
guide, and control those specific, denied area overflights now being
I. a.,
in accord with my expressed agreement that the SRO should be prepared
Approved For Release 2001/08/26 : CIA-RDP33-02415A000400060015-4
25X1A2g
 Approved For Release 200 08110': CIA- 0 015-4
..g.
to effect transfer to the military of certain overflights during periods
of hostilities, .1 have attached a draft, proposed agreement which I
think wilt clearly put these two factors In proper perspective.
I au gees that we get together around the table at- your con-
venience to see what additional articles of what treaties need to be
negotiated I am certain we all have only one mission in mind in this
connection wq the most expeditious collection of usable intelligence
information with the least disruption of command prerogatives and the
most economical utilization of all of our conibined resources.
Faithfully yours,
Marshall S. Carter
Lieutenant General, USA
Deputy Director
25X1A
Approved For Release 2001/08/26 : CIA-RDP33-02415A000400060015-4'