LETTER TO THE HONORABLE CYRUS R. VANCE FROM JOHN A. MCCONE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000400030016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2003
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: September 17, 1964
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2003/05/29 : CIA-RDP80B0167600b400030016-0
The Honorable Cyrus R. Vae
Deputy Secretary of Defense
%~ ashinstton. D. C.
i:ear Cy:
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This will acknowledge with t banks your me randum of
epte:nber concerning the National ELINT Plan, which I under-
stand has been approved by you with certain modifications and which
you are forwarding for my consideration and comment. As son as
the plan has been received and can be reviewed by my staff, I will
forward _:x y comments.
In the meanttmaoe. I ae considering action to i zprove the
co.-npetence of the (ISIB SIGI 'T Committee in the ELINT area to that
this Committees can undertake enhanced responetbilittes, including
the review of reequireemenxts for ELINT collection for national pur-
poses. In this connection, it is my impression, that in the discussion
which we had of peripheral reconnaissance flights you agreed with my
uggeeat on that the monthly projection of these flights, prepared for
con,deratton by the 303 Committee, shred be submitted to USA
for an expression of USIB views co nceern g the validity of the intelli-
gence requirements used to justify these flights. I believe that such
a procedure would be very helpful in rations iziag the peripheral
reconnaissance programs and suggest that it be put into effect as
taptly as possible,
DISTRIBUTION
Orig & 1 - Addressee
1 - DCI
*-C DDCI
very sincerely yours,
,John A. is Cone
rector
1 - ExDir-Comptroller 1 - ER
Approv&d" or Release 2001/05/29: CIA-RbP876R000400030016-0
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Aooroved For Release 2 "IA-RDP80B01676R00040003001-0
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Director, Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Approval and Implementation of the National ELINT Plan
(NEP) (U)
The National ELINT Plan (NEP) was prepared by representatives of
CIA, Joint Staff, DIA and NSA. I requested the Joint Chiefs of
Staff to review the Plan and, in addition to their overall comments,
to comment specifically on those aspects regarding peripheral air-
borne collection programs.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff have recommended, and I have approved,
certain necessary clarifications involving internal Department of
Defense procedures. These changes were made subsequent to the
participation of your representatives and are concentrated in the
areas of DOD handling of requirements and peripheral reconnaissance
flights. The JCS have additionally recommended, (a) that the
USIB/SIGINT Committee be charged with responsibility for evaluating
Second and Third Party ELINT rather than CIA and NSA as proposed
in the NEP, (b) that the membership of the ELINT Advisory Group
which the NEP would establish be broadened to include full-time
representation from the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marine Corps
to insure coordination of programming and budgetary matters.
Since the evaluation of Second and Third Party ELINT appears con-
sistent with the general responsibilities which you have previously
assigned the USIB/SIGINT Committee, I recommend that you issue an
instruction to the USIB/SIGINT Committee specifically assigning
it this responsibility.
I consider, however, that Department of Defense program review
procedures for the Consolidated Cryptologic Program and the Consoli-
dated Intelligence Program provide adequately for coordination with
the Military Departments on their ELINT programs. Accordingly, I
do not consider it necessary to provide for full time military
department representation on the ELINT Advisory Group.
I have approved the NEP, as revised, for implementation within the
Department and am forwarding it to you for your review. Annex (G),
which described items and suggested recommendations in sensitive
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areas, I did not deem to be fully consistent with existing Agree-
ments and Directives. Therefore, I have deleted those items from
the action instructions provided to the JCS, DIA and NSA.
I believe that the National ELINT Plan can provide a mechanism
through which the total National ELINT resources can be effectively
coordinated in an integrated effort against the FLINT targets of
continuing importance to our highest priority security needs.
I believe that the cooperative implementation of the NEP is a posi-
tive step forward and represents a proper solution to this complex
problem. This implementation, with the active cooperation and
participation of all organizations concerned with ELINT, should
result in an FLINT program which will have the Military Departments
and Commands, the Cryptologic Agencies, and Second and Third Party
organizations working in harmony to provide a better product more
economically.
I welcome your comments on the NEP and the implementing instructions
I have forwarded to the JCS, DIA and NSA.
Further, I would like to have the advice and assistance of the CIA
as necessary to cooperatively implement this Plan.